03 16 2011 by Street Sense Media

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Volume 8: Issue 10 March 16 - 29, 2011

Street

sense

Read more and get involved at www.streetsense.org | The D.C. Metro Area Street Newspaper | Please buy from badged vendors

Where the Homeless Children Play Homeless parents and kids fight the odds

Pages 4, 5 & 7

Street Sense aims 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 experiencing homelessness in our community.

3 4-5

News in Brief

Playtime Project gives homeless children a safe place to play

eCycle program increases technology skills among homeless

Families forced to double up

8 - 9 Chris Shaw, Cowboy

Poet showcases his art & poetry

Read stories online at www.streetsense.org

Writer’s Group: Mayan Clocks: Part II

Comic Strip Barney & Clyde, Now at Street Sense!

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Mehreen Rasheed’s video of Cesar playing the guitar

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Jeff McNeil on the tales of a vendor Last Word: A man chooses education over rent

A new issue comes out every two weeks, but you can stay connected to Street Sense every day! /streetsense @streetsensedc /streetsensedc Cover art by Kelby Miller

Lessons Learned at Street Sense This is the space where I normally speak to you, our supporters and readers, but today I’d like to ask you to join me in wishing the very best to our colleaugue Ms. Amy Vokes, who will be moving on from Street Sense. -Doug Knight

By Amy Vokes Community Development & Program Manager

he week before I began my job with Street Sense, I rode the bus home one evening with a gentleman who introduced himself as a Street Sense vendor. Our conversation started when he offered me a paper as we waited for the bus to arrive. As we boarded the bus and went on talking, I learned that he was a new vendor, having recently become homeless after losing his job and his house and turning to alcohol for comfort. After I began working, I saw him in the office a few times. Then he disappeared. I didn’t know him well, but I wondered where he had gone. Had he left town or grown weary of paper sales? Then, a few weeks ago, he walked back into the Street Sense office. He asked how my job was going, and how I had been doing since that evening on the bus. I was surprised that he even remembered the evening we met. And I was happy to hear that since then, he had left Washington to seek treatment for his addiction. Now he was back, five months clean and sober, and with a room in a recovery house that provides him with independence along with the support he needs to stay clean. He uses the income he earns selling Street Sense to pay his weekly rent while he saves money for a deposit on his own apartment when he is ready to move on. As I write this, I am preparing to move on to another job as member services manager at Back on My Feet, which promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem. Looking back on my time at Street Sense, I am humbled by the lessons I have learned and the people I have encountered. Our community, made up

of vendors, supporters, volunteers and staff, has shown a level of dedication, passion and creativity that is a continual inspiration. In the face of overwhelming adversity, the courage and hope found in the Street Sense office and on street corners across Washington, D.C., continues to shine. In my last few weeks on the staff here, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several student groups from across the country that chose to spend their spring break in service to those less fortunate. Knowledge that the next generation of thinkers, activists, entrepreneurs, artists and politicians are gaining an authentic and rich experience that will, no doubt, shape their views of poverty and prosperity further provides hope for positive change and a better tomorrow. Working with the Street Sense vendors over the past months reminded me of why I chose this line of work, and why I will continue to work with the homeless in my next job. It is often easiest to look at the differences between ourselves and those around us. It is much more challenging to realize that we are all the same; our struggles and successes will look very different, but our shared human experience is far bigger than any societal divisions we create. Our vendors reminded me of this each and every day, whether it was working alongside them unloading the new issues on Wednesday mornings or seeing them gain confidence talking to a group of students eager to effect positive change in the world. As readers and supporters, your interactions with our vendors represent true community development, and I am proud to have been a part of such a diverse, dynamic and innovative initiative. Thanks to all of you for your continued support of our newspaper and of our vendors.

ADDRESS 1317 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 PHONE (202) 347 - 2006 FAX (202) 347 - 2166 E-MAIL info@streetsense.org WEB streetsense.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Estrada, Ted Henson, Brad Scriber, Michael Stoops, Manas Mohapatra, Sommer Mathis, Kristal Dekleer, Robin Heller, Jeffery McNeil, Jordan Rummel, John Snellgrove, Dameon Philpotts EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Doug Knight EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mary Otto MANAGING EDITOR/NEW MEDIA DIRECTOR Lisa V. Gillespie VENDOR AND VOLUNTEER MANAGER Robert Fulton INTERNS Kelsey Osterman, Gretchen Grant, Mehreen Rasheed, Kelby Miller, Holly Ceasar VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Rhonda Brown, Margaret Chapman, Tracie Ching, James Clarke, Nikki Conyers, Bobby Corrigan, Irene Costigan, Sara Dimmitt, Joe Duffy, Lilly Dymond, Ashley Edwards, Garrett Epps, Rachel Estabrook, Sarah Ficenec, Robert Fulton, Andrew Gena, Steve Gilberg, Jane Goforth, Jonah Goodman, Roberta Haber, Elia Herman, Adam Kampe, Trisha Knisely, Vicki Ann Lancaster, Elle Leech-Black, Lisa Leona, Sean Lishansky, Elsie Oldaker, Katinka Podmaniczky, Mike Plunkett, Willie Schatz, Jesse Smith, Mandy Toomey, Brett Topping VENDORS Michael Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Jake Ashford, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Donna Barber, John Bayne, Kenneth Belkosky, Patricia Benjamin, Tommy Bennett, Jimmy Bigelow, Reginald Black, Emily Bowe, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Floarea Caldaras, Percy Carter, Peggy Cash, Conrad Cheek, Simona Ciurar, Virginia Clegg, Aaron Conner, Theresa Corbino, Avram Cornel, Anthony Crawford, Kwayera Dakari, Louise Davenport, Charles Davis, James Davis, Devon Dawkins, David Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon El, Deana Elder, Richard Embden, Joshua Faison, James Featherson, Tanya Franklin, Samuel Fullwood, Larry Garner, David Ger, R. George, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Dwight Harris, John Harrison, Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Shakaye Henry, Shawn Herring, Derian Hickman, Philliip Howard, James Hughes, Richard Hutson, Margaret Jenkins, Donald Johnson, Alicia Jones, Mark Jones, Evanson Kamau, Clinton Kilpatrick, Hope Lassiter, Mary Lisenko, James Lott, Michael Lyons, Johnnie Malloy, Kina Mathis, John C. Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Herman Lee Mayse, Robert McCray, Marvin McFadden, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Kenneth Middleton, L. Morrow, Jai Morton, Saleem Muhammad, Tyrone Murray, Darryl Neal, Charles Nelson, James Nelson, Sammy Ngatiri, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Douglas Pangburn, Franklin Payne, Michael Pennycook, Edward Perry, Gregory Phillips, Tracey Powell, Frank Pruden, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Michael Reardon, Melania Scott, Chris Shaw, Ronald Simms, J. Simpson, Veda Simpson, Gwynette Smith, Patty Smith, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, James Stewart, Leroy Studevant, Beverly Sutton, Paul Taylor Sybil, Taylor, Steve Thomas, Larissa Thompson, Louise Thundercloud, Deborah Tibbs, Ronald Turner, Christopher Walker, Jeanette Walker, Martin Walker, Robert Warren, Lawless Watson, Paul Watson, Michael J. Welsh, Edna Williams, Sherle Williams, Wendell Williams, Susan Wilshusen, Ivory Wilson, Mark Wolf, Charles Woods, Tina Wright

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Honesty Brings Reward for Homeless Man John Kavanaugh, a homeless man, returned a lost envelope containing $1,440 cash on March 1, according to UPI News. Robert Stauffer, the owner of the envelope, had intended to take the cash to the Office of Chester County Recorder of Deeds to record mortgages. When he arrived at the office, the envelope was missing. Stauffer believed that the envelope fell out his ripped pants pocket. Stauffer called the number of the office listed on the envelope only to discover the cash was missing, according to UPI News, when he learned that Kavanaugh had given the envelope to the police. “It reinforces my faith in humanity,” said Stauffer. “I expected I would never see that money.” Stauffer plans to meet Kavanaugh and will likely give him a cash reward as well as a contribution to his preferred shelter, according to UPI News.

Twitter Helps Homeless Man Find Lost Family Daniel Morales, who is homeless, reunited with his daughter, Sarah Rivera,

NEWS IN BRIEF 27, with the help of Twitter after being separated for more than a decade. Morales posted a photo of Rivera at age 16 on his Twitter account in hopes of finding her. A stranger spotted the photo and reached out to Rivera, who then called her father. According to Morales, he had been waiting for that precious call for 11 years. The pair lost contact when Rivera moved from Puerto Rico to the United States with her mother in 2000. Morales gained access to Twitter when three interns in New York started Unheard in NY. The project aims to show the world what it means to be homeless. He has been tweeting for three weeks, according to Mail Online News.

Controversy Over Microcredit Despite being respected as the director of Grameen Bank and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize for his innovative ideas regarding micro credit, Muhammed Yunus is under scrutiny based on critiques of those ideas. Now, according to The Guardian, Bangladesh government officials state that Yunus has been “ousted from his position” as director of Grameen Bank, which is known for giving small loans to

the poor. Possible reasons for Yunus’s removal, though not explicitly stated by Bangladesh government officials, are revealed by a report by economists Ha-Joon Chang and Milford Bateman. Chang and Bateman’s report states that generating wealth requires collective action rather than individual action, which is promoted through microfinance. Also, microfinance has to charge high interest rates, which removes some possibility of income. The report states that many loans are used for extraordinary expenditures, like health bills, rather than business expenses. Finally, the report states that microfinance, as used by Grameen Bank, does not solve overwhelming problems such as overcrowding and limited resources. Though the question remains whether microfinance is a promising way to lift individuals out of poverty, according to The Guardian, critics of microcredit target Yunus rather than the implementation of his ideas.

Group Charged with Fighting AIDS in D.C. In the District of Columbia on March 8, Mayor Vincent C. Gray swore in members

THE STORY OF STREET SENSE Street Sense began in August 2003 after two volunteers, 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. They saw it as a means of empowering the area’s poor and homeless and desided the paper would cover homelessness and other social issues. After bringing together a core of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003, printing 5,000 copies. About a dozen vendors sold the first issue of the paper. For the next three years, it pub-

YOUR DOLLAR

lished on a monthly basis and as a project of the National Coalition for the Homeless. In October 2004, the organization incorporated and moved into its own office space. In March 2005, Street Sense received 501(c)3 status, becoming a nonprofit organization. In October 2005, Street Sense formed a full board of directors, and in November, the organization hired its first employee, a full-time executive director. A year later, Street Sense hired its first vendor coordinator and began partnering with several service providers. In February 2007, the paper increased the frequency of publication to twice a month.

65%

Each vendor makes a personal investment in Street Sense, by purchasing is- Directly sues at a rate of 35 cents per copy. This aids the money helps cover out production and vendor printing costs for the paper, while still allowing the vendors to sell the paper at a low price and substantial profit.

of a new city commission on HIV/AIDS and convened the group’s first meeting, hearing reports on the high HIV infection rates in parts of the District and discussing how to address the commission’s goal of improving the city’s response to the disease. The 21-member panel’s task is to focus on treatment, the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and preventing new infections. At the March meeting, the commission heard from the nonprofit group D.C. Appleseed, which presented a status report on the District’s response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. The city got improved marks in some areas and was downgraded in others. One of the biggest problems the report found was transmission of the virus through intravenous drug use. Mayor Gray called on the Commission to urge Congress not to prevent the District from spending its own money on needle-exchange programs, which have been employed to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS infection across the country. The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for April 12. Compiled by Caroline Hopper

Vendor Code of Conduct

In order to support the increased production, Street Sense brought on its first full-time editor-in-chief in April. To d a y, S t r e e t S e n s e h a s f o u r professionals, more than 100 active vendors and nearly 30,000 copies in circulation each month. The newspaper has become a major source of news for Washingtonians, providing content on issues which often go uncovered by the mainstream media. Street Sense is a member of the National Association of Street Newspapers (NASNA).

35% Supports costs

1. I agree not to ask for more than $1 or to solicit donations for Street Sense by other means. 2. I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers). 3. I agree to treat others respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten or pressure customers. 4. I agree to stay off private property when selling Street Sense. 5. I understand that I am not a legal employee of Street Sense but a contracted worker responsible for my own well–being and income. 6. I agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling Street Sense. 7. I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 8. I will stay a block away from another vendor. 9. I understand that my badge is the property of Street Sense and will not deface it. I will display my badge and wear my vest when selling papers. 10. I understand that Street Sense strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word.

By the time homeless children are 8-years-old, 1 in 3 have a major mental disorder, according to Health Care for the Homeless.

A Safe Place to Play

The Playtime Project provides homeless children time to be kids By Holly Ceasar Editorial Intern Beyond the unused hospital rooms, yellow “caution” tape and rusty health care signs, two bright spaces fill with smiling children and dedicated volunteers. It is the Thursday edition of the Children’s Playtime Project. The babyblue clouded ceilings and inspirational quotes on the walls help set a hopeful mood for the 267 children living at D.C. General, an aging hospital now used as one of the city’s family homeless shelters. These children, playing games and make-believe, are a small subgroup of the 1,535 children living in homeless shelters in the District according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. A total of 1.5 million homeless children are estimated to live in the U.S. Homelessness, with its accompanying losses, traumas and transience, can have a lasting impact on young lives. But a seemingly simple thing like playtime can have a healing effect, experts say. Children ranging from infants to teens participate twice a week in the Children’s Playtime Project. This sevenyear-old nonprofit organization, run by approximately 120 volunteers, is funded through individual donations and private foundations. “When children first come to a shelter, [they are] traumatized, afraid to live in this institution. They leave their homes behind, their communities and their belongings,” said Jamila Larson, co-founder and executive director. “Here they feel welcome in a safe place to forget about stresses of being homeless for a little while.” Larson considers childhood a time to be celebrated. Shelter life often creates a stressed and cramped environment for children in which an outlet for playing is not guaranteed. She believes that without playtime, kids have trouble “letting loose” and just “being children.”

No more than 100 yards away from the Stadium-Armory Metro Station is Washington D.C. General Hospital, the first and only public hospital that served the District of Columbia for over 200 years. Closed in 2001, the former hospital now serves as a homeless shelter, and where Playtime Project meets. Above, two-year-old McKenzie looks on as a volunteer reads to her. CRAIG HUDSON, STREET SENSE

Ellen Bassuk, M.D., founder and president of The National Center on Family Homelessness, sees homelessness as an experience that can result in poor mental and physical health, as well as difficulties in school. “What we can tell, the graduation rates are low at 25 percent, and the likelihood of homeless children graduating [high school] is not good,” said

Bassuk, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard. While she believes some homeless children are resilient enough to overcome adversity, society should provide them with appropriate services and support. In many communities, grassroots and nonprofit organizations like the Children’s Playtime Project are impacting futures by ensuring a safe time and

place for children to play, Bassuk said. “Play is what kids do. It is their job. It helps kids develop all kinds of skills such as motor skills, socializing and negotiating. It also provides self-esteem for the children,” Bassuk said. For Alquanita Williams, a 48-yearold mother of two and a past resident Continue on Page 5

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Homeless children are sick at twice the rate of other children, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness.

LOCAL NEWS

As a means for homeless parents to give their children an opportunity to play and interact with each other as well as give some normalcy to their otherwise cramped and difficult lifestyle, the Playtime Project was created. Playtime, an organization whose volunteers chaperone the children and give them a safe and fun environment in which to play, is headed by executive director Jamila Larson. Above, three-year-old Tyshaun seeks inspiration as she draws. Below Markal and his friend color during the hour session. CRAIG HUDSON, STREET SENSE

Continued from Page 4 of D.C. General, the Playtime Project represented a blessing for her son and herself. “We went through the stress of being homeless, losing everything we had, but at least this [playtime] gave my youngest son a sense of hope,” she said. “He could be a little kid there and not wear the stigma of being homeless and breathe a sigh of relief…and it also kept me from being an angry, stressed out mom.” She said her 11-year old son loved the Playtime Project so much that he often didn’t want to leave, and would repeatedly say, “I wish Playtime Project was everyday, not just on Tuesday and Thursday!” Within the shelter, Williams considered the playtime her son’s temporary home; and a field trip with the group even provided him the opportunity to experience his first boat ride. Sessions at the Playtime Project un-

fold in different ways depending on the night, but activities usually include free play, crafts, indoor basketball and play kitchen. Special activities have included yoga, scavenger hunts, special guest visits from a step-dancing team, a theatre troupe and even an astronaut. Children’s Playtime Project also includes seasonal parties, clothing drives, monthly outings and a new 12+ teen program. A family portrait project established several years ago provided shelter residents with personal keepsakes. The pictures were also displayed in the lobby of the mayor’s office, helping to put a face on homelessness. For Dayanna, a nine-year-old Playtime participant, celebrating a “good game” of Go Fish with a high-five, it is evident that in spite of her shy demeanor, she is determined to overcome the odds of homelessness. “My dream has always been to go to college,” she said. “I’ve thought about it for a long time.”

Laptops, LCD monitors and empty toner and ink cartridges are the most needed items.

The Big, Green Recycling Machine

Community organizations join together to give the homeless access to technology and training By Kelsey Osterman Editorial Intern St. Patrick’s Day will be “green” for a new reason this year. Organizers of a new technology training and recycling program are launching an effort to gather and refurbish one thousand computers to help homeless individuals and low-income families. On March 17, the first annual eCycle D.C. event will be collecting used computers and other technology from local individuals, companies and agencies. Homeless men and women, employed by WildTech-CCNV, a branch of the Wilderness Technology Alliance, will learn marketable electronic skills by participating in refurbishing the donated equipment. Reconditioned computers will then be donated to low-income families. Lou August, event coordinator and WildTech president, described the event as beneficial for everyone involved. “If only the public knew about this, they would never throw away their old computer equipment again,” said August. Though not all of the equipment will be salvageable, August said about 700800 of the donated computers will be given back to low-income families in the community. Money will also be collected at the event to help cover the cost of processing older and hazardous items. And though the recycling helps the city, the job skills and income the program can provide to people who are homeless are more important to August. “They need the type of empowerment that can only come from employment,” he said. “With it being their own enterprise, they will also ‘own’ the outcomes.” The project is one of a growing number of creative initiatives across the country geared toward helping poor and minority people learn the skills they need to find work in an economy increasingly dominated by technology. The St. Patrick’s Day collection will be held from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) shelter, which is located at 425

Second St, NW. Donations will be accepted in the rear parking lot off E Street. Nonprofit donation receipts will be provided. Organizers are particularly eager to collect personal computers, laptops, monitors and empty toner and ink cartridges. ECycle D.C. is just one of three community service events scheduled to take place during the day, in partnership with the 2011 Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC). The conference, organized by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), kicks off with a Day of Service each year, which usually consists of free consulting for nonprofits in the area. But the tenth Day of Service is different, according to Sarah Janczak Corona, NTEN community manager. “This year being in D.C....we decided to deviate from that a little bit and do a more active service project within the community,” said Corona. Volunteers from NTC will also be in-

stalling a wireless Internet network in the CCNV, which will provide access to the employment opportunities online for the homeless staying there. NTC attendees will also serve food at D.C. Central Kitchen. Numerous community partners are helping to support the event, including the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer and the Cisco Corporation, which is donating the wireless network. “The Digital Divide is greater and runs deeper in the homeless community than any other in America,” August said. “So how will wireless Internet empower the homeless? By giving them hope—even just a chance—to get a job.” NTEN is a membership organization that seeks to help nonprofits best utilize technology to achieve their goals. NTC, an annual event that began in 2000, is designed to educate and assist those nonprofits through various seminars and learning opportunities. Though previous conferences have been held in cities such as Atlanta and San Francisco, this year’s NTC is the largest yet, with over

1,900 participants. About 100 of the attendees will be serving at the three locations. Regardless of the number of donations collected on St. Patrick’s Day, eCycle will be an annual event, according to August. “We will have to re-think things, but we expect to try again next year,” he said. “It would not be completely surprising if it took a few years to gain momentum, but we sure hope it takes off from the start.”

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Nearly one million homeless children were enrolled in school in the 2008 school year.

NEWS

The Plight of Doubled-Up Families A new report shines light on another type of homelessness By Gretchen Grant Editorial Intern After Tamya Maze, 18, gave birth to her little boy, she had to leave her father’s house. With nowhere else to turn, she moved in with friends. But the situation was hardly ideal. The house was loud, chaotic and crowded. Eight people were living there, even before Tamya and her baby arrived. “It’s like kids on top of kids, adults on top of adults,” said Maze with her infant swaddled in blankets and warm clothing. She and her baby found themselves part of a growing, but often unrecognized subset of America’s homeless population: families forced to double up with each other because they lack a place to live. The National Alliance to End Homelessness found a total of 6,037,256 people doubled up across the nation in 2009. The number reflected a 12 percent increase from the previous year. The poor economy, a shortage of lowcost apartments and housing foreclosures have all taken a toll, impacting parents frantically trying to provide for

their families, as well as growing numbers of homeless and insecurely housed children. “Education is the key tool for homelessness prevention, and without access to stable schooling, homeless children are likely to become homeless adults,” noted Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, in a recent report on the housing crisis. School data shows large increases in homeless children and youth nationwide. This past June, the National Center for Homeless Education reported that nearly one million homeless children were enrolled in the 2008-2009 school year, a 41 percent increase over the previous two school years. By law, homeless students are entitled to transportation and other services that help them stay in school. But some school districts are too hard-pressed to pay for the services and federal support is in short supply. In an effort to expand the help that is available for children suffering the effects of transience and homelessness, Illinois Representative Judy Biggert is

pushing for the passage of the Homeless Children and Youth Act. The Act was created in hopes of expanding the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of homeless so that more children, youth and families who are doubled up in hotels or houses will become eligible for HUD’s homeless assistance program. Doubled-up families are not included in the definition of homelessness currently spelled out by the United States Code. As for Tamya Maze, she and her baby are currently staying at the Budget Inn. It’s a temporary solution, not a home, and Maze said she is running out of money to keep her room there. With her baby bundled against the cold, she regularly visits the Virginia Williams Homeless Resource

Center on Rhode Island Avenue, the central intake office for all families requiring emergency housing and assistance in the District. Like other emergency housing centers across the country, the center has been overwhelmed with calls for help, particularly in the wake of the economic downturn and housing crisis. As of the week ending March 6, there were 526 families with temporary sleeping arrangements on the center’s list of pending cases, according to the city Department of Human Services. The prospects for escaping homelessness can be discouraging. But Maze hopes that somehow, she and her baby will get help, and someday, they will have a permanent home.

8 Poem to the Orphic Muse: One By James Preston Jordan, Vendor

Lester Bangs let loose to the Muses, throwing With pen lamps, and doing his level best—I say Level, but I don’t know—with a Remington to make Thunder of steel, as if they were the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, and he the god of loneliness Come to drive them. Anyway he got too close Camaros. That’s the way a hack like me reads Greek mythology. Edith Hamilton in her study Only blocks away from where my friend Jimi Was turning Liverpudlians who in their turn had Upside down. Or was it Precession.

Poem to the Orphic Muse: Three By James Preston Jordan, Vendor

Tweezed him, his whole contents (cadence) spewed

In symphonies. Also, if police reports Are to be believed: eggs, chocolate, candy rock Novel by the American writer Wallace Stegner Some pieces missing. Looked as if they’d been, well, Was the lark and you’re asking me, Sir, well yes he was ascending.

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Pics & Poems

JUICED WITH RAGE

By Chris Shaw, Cowboy Poet, Vendor

(With apologies to Billie Holiday and the creators of “God Bless the Child.”) Them that’s got has got And them that don’t, Won’t. Is this what the Bible tells is news? And I’ve got the blues. Listen: Our new mayor said So, take away your food stamps. Is that nice? Housing subsidies at a halt. How does a homeless one Summon police Saying “I was robbed?”

Them on the Right, they say No Soc Sec is OK. Just don’t mess with Gun Rights For tonight. (As I ungently age at this peculiar Stage), I am, Fully Juiced With Rage.

10 10

Fiction

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Street Sense offers our vendors the chance to share their stories and poetry every Monday from 10 to 11 a.m at our office on G Street. This page is completly conceived, written and designed by Writer’s Group members.

Writer’s Group

Freedom Freed

MAYAN CLOCKS, Part Two

By Robert Warren

By Chris Shaw, Cowboy Poet

Freedom, freedom, freedom songs freedom, freedom so many men long for what is freedom?

Once the record have a-roiled forth, Behold. BEHOLD! The mighty Tlaloc, nearby by now, Calls! (His resounding THRUM!) Comes hither, to said halls. What records can we see, however Blindingly?

is it just a word in a song is it a jungle wherein beasts roam is it a Hebrew slave who wants to work his own day freedom, freedom is it an eagle soaring high in the sky? is it a baby being born after 9 months inside? freedom, freedom free to pray and worship the Lord in a free way freedom, freedom what is freedom today? the people of the earth being free to say freedom, freedom for all the Lord’s slaves, for one day we’ll be free to die the way we chose to be freedom freedom is dying today some believe in being free to make mischief and not to pray for freedom freedom the freedom to come I want to be free, free of me, free of them, free of want, free of need, free to live, free to give free to lay in the sun and sing a freedom song free to write a freedom poem what is freedom? being free to say, to speak my peace in a free way let freedom be freed today.... In rembrance of the legendary words of love of Martin Luther King let freedom ring

Photo Courtest of Ilhuicamina/flickr

Avast, a melting iceberg’s first “Geburtztag” thus unveils Lady Liberty immersed in slag. Mayhap, a certain apocalypse filmic Dark fantasque, briefly Tho next time Grim Reality reaps us, chiefly For the Nonce. MEANWHILE: Keep in step, Im-ho-tep! What are these, Ramses? (Why, it’s a mess, Radames!) Yet we all be so “PLIBLOKTO,” As the world’s Rush Hours groan to a forever HALT-Ringing to the tune of “Klattu, Gort, Barada Nikto!” And be there for the early Rapture. How will our imagination capture The sensation of life after a meal? And, pray tell, how would it feel To be the head played and kicked Down the field as Atahualpa’s Royal football? Oh woe!! Pizzaro tipped the tin hat. When raiding the sacred gold, he declared: “Yo soy el Rey del Mundo.” Translation: “I’m Where It’s At; Just Let the Blood Flow.”

12 The Funnies

BARNEY & CLYDE IS A COMIC STRIP ABOUT AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN A HOMELESS MAN AND A TYCOON. IT’S ABOUT OUR MODERN, POLARIZED ECONOMY OF HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS. IT RE-EXAMINES TRADITIONAL MEASURES OF SUCCESS, FAILURE, AND THE NATURE OF HAPPINESS.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: GENE WEINGARTEN IS A COLLEGE DROPOUT AND THE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED HUMOR COLUMNIST FOR THE WASHINGTON POST. 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 WRITER’S GROUP FOR ALLOWING STREET SENSE TO RUN BARNEY & CLYDE.

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____ I would also like to give half the cost of my subscription to my favorite vendor: _____________________________

I want to subscribe to Street Sense for just $40 a year (26 issues). CAMRIS joined Street Sense at the 2010 Help the Homeless Walkathon in Washington, DC

6931 Arlington Road, Suite 575, Bethesda, MD 20814. T: 301.770.6000. F: 301.770.6030. camris.com

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Op-Ed

COLUMN

The Tales of a Vendor By Jeffery McNeil Vendor There are many reasons I am involved with Street Sense: on occasion I sell papers because it is a source of income and it provides me with opportunities to freelance and experiment with my writing without limitations. But the major reason I sell newspapers is that I enjoy being outside and meeting people in public. I have met people from all walks of life and nationalities. I have met some pretty interesting characters. Selling newspapers is not for sensitive people. People will cuss you out, ignore you, call security on you and make fun of you.

Scurry on by.

Tourists can give you mixed responses, from curiosity to sarcasm and contempt. In order to deal with biting comments from people, I’ve had to be quick on my feet and respond with kindness. I chortle when someone pulls out a twenty dollar bill and gets nervous. When I tell them I have change they get shocked and say “I do not want to take all your change. Here’s fifty cents.” Then there’s the crying dollar: when someone who gives you a dollar complains about it and feels they own your soul. They want to know what you plan to do with the dollar. They come back to see if you are drunk and criticize you for being out selling newspapers. But the best putdowns I get are from young women who will snap at you if you approach them wrong. They will get tense, holler “I have no money” and scurry past you. So I have a little fun and say I take Visa. That usually gets a smile and they buy the paper.

Attack by wheelchair.

Panhandlers provide the best stories I have. I was on 19th and L at the Corner Bakery, when a guy in a wheelchair panhandling came up to me, stared and said angrily, “I hope it gets real cold and windy outside so I do not have to see you no more.” Generally when I run into people who are miserable, I tell them about Jesus and how you can achieve salvation. This guy was in no mood to hear about salva-

tion. So I wasn’t going to let him ruin my day. I wanted to work there and wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. So I continued selling newspapers. Someone I knew came up and started chatting with me. I wasn’t paying the panhandler any mind until I felt a sharp pain in the back of my leg. I didn’t know what was happening until I saw this guy revving up his wheelchair with me as his bullseye. I was embarrassed because I was being attacked by a guy in a wheelchair over a couple dollars. So I called the cops on him, and I have not seen him since.

The witch has my number.

When the new issue comes out, my favorite place to sell is Farragut North. I like selling there because there are so many beautiful people. Also, it is where I have the most confidence approaching people. My first run-in with this lady began two years ago. I was selling newspapers, and I was on fire. Everyone was buying that day. You know when your game is good when strippers and panhandlers are buying the paper. As I was selling, I saw a small lady in all black pushing her cart with a poster of Frank Sinatra. She was in the park yelling in some language I had never heard. I dismissed her as someone who has mental health issues. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her leaving. I figured she was going across the street, but then I noticed she was headed towards me. She went in her cart, got her bag and started to swing it at me. She gave me an evil look as she was screaming some gibberish, throwing sand in the air and laughing hysterically. I was sick for a couple of days after that. I blamed the witch for hexing me, and I was really concerned that she had put a curse on me. She was also racist, and every time I sell there now she calls me “monkey,” and screams obscenities and gibberish. Last month she said one “monkey” to many. She was heckling me at full force. I decided to be nice and give her a Street Sense. This incensed her, and she went bonkers, throwing sand in the air, wildly swinging her bag, and going in the street doing a witch dance. I figure she does not support Street Sense.

PERSPECTIVE

Hearing Without Listening By Mehreen Rasheed Editorial Intern In the days following the attacks of September 11, 2001, my family received a phone call from a neighbor asking if we were alright, offering to escort my mother to the grocery store. My parents assured her we were fine — though given the spike of hate crimes against Muslims and Asian minorities after the attacks, her concern was certainly explained. But my 11-year old self wondered: if the terrorists did it, why would people blame us? Almost 10 years later, I find myself again wondering why innocent Americans are being held accountable for the guilty. House Homeland Committee Chairman Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) led the March 10 congressional hearings on “The Extent of Radicalization in the Muslim Community and that Community’s Response.” The title of the hearing itself stopped me in my tracks. “The Muslim Community?” The eerily specific targeting of one religious minority portrays it as the major source of domestic threats. Besides completely unsubstantiated claims from King that “80-85 percent” of mosques are controlled by radicals, there is nothing to suggest this. There are many threats to our country that do not come from the Muslim community, from the KKK to abortionclinic bombers. In fact, since 9/11, there have been 80 domestic terror plots by non-Muslims and only 45 by Muslims, according to crime data gathered by the FBI and other crime agencies and compiled by the Muslim Public Affairs Council. White supremacist and right-wing extremist groups alone accounted for about half of all plots. The narrow focus of the hearing prevents Congress from addressing more urgent problems. Focusing upon a single minority puts the entire group under scrutiny for the acts of certain individuals. “The Extent of Radicalization” suggests there is some widespread radicalization to be had in the first place, instead of isolated action with which the overwhelming majority of Muslims nei-

ther agree nor identify. Yet it is these Muslim Americans whose patriotism is suddenly called into question, with King suggesting that they aren’t doing enough to combat radicalization. Firstly, this is false — Muslims are doing more than enough. Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca cited a Duke University study that found that 40 percent of thwarted terror plots were stopped with help from Muslims Secondly, it is not even a civilian’s job to foil terror plots, so the fact that they do is commendable — not grounds for a congressional hearing. Only in a police state are civilians considered disloyal for not monitoring one another. Zuhdi Jasser, a witness for the hearing, was concerned that Congress and other leaders were so hung up on the politically-correct way to address radicalism in Muslim communities that they ended up not addressing it at all. Naturally, there is a distinction when one is talking about terrorists who happen to be Muslim and about Muslims; as long as that distinction is articulated, no one should be offended. But this articulation matters, and in Jasser’s rush to abandon political correctness, he failed to realize these norms protect minorities from hate speech — like Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey likening “being Muslim” to “a cult.” Such speech turns into discourse, and when such discourse goes without consequences, it escalates into actions: the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, Executive Order 9066 for the internment of Japanese-Americans, the Patriot Act. Words frame the way we think about ideas; so without balanced and accurate rhetoric, we cannot hope to make level-headed decisions. Street Sense strives to include marginalized low-income and homeless groups by giving them a voice to educate others. The same can be said of any misrepresented group. The more we educate ourselves about one another, the less we exclude and alienate. If indeed “divided we fall,” then this distrust is actually the greatest threat to our nation — and standing united is the best way to fight it.

Happy Birthday to our March vendors: Charles Eatmon, R. George, Terry Warren, Mark Wolf, Saleem Muhammed, Lorrie Hayes, Charles Armstrong, Aaron Conner, Virginia Clegg, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Barron Hall and Patty Smith.

Vendor of the Month: Robert Warren By Mandy Toomey Editorial Volunteer Street Sense vendor Robert Warren first got involved with the organization about three years ago, after a firsthand glimpse at the complex issues surrounding homelessness and unemployment. After losing his job, Robert had to leave a family home in Anacostia because he was unable to contribute to paying the rent. After about two years at the 801 East Shelter, Robert received rental assistance through the District’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Even though Robert secured a more stable living situation, the experience changed his life. “I knew about homelessness, but until you experience it, you don’t really understand,” he said. “It gave me a strong desire to advocate for change.” These days, that is exactly what Robert is doing, both as a vendor of and contributor to Street Sense. He is also a member of the People for Fairness Coalition, an advocacy organization comprising homeless and formerly homeless people. Robert joined both organizations almost three years ago, around the time he first started living in the shelter. Through his involvement, he found supportive communities and help deal-

ing with the complicated issues, such as depression, which can accompany homelessness and joblessness. As a lifelong Washington resident, Robert feels that natives of the city are often treated unfairly and receive inadequate community support services. “Local and federal governments take lifelong or long-term D.C. residents for granted,” Robert said. He sees the issues of homelessness and joblessness in the framework of human rights. For this writer and vendor, Street Sense and the People for Fairness Coalition provide outlets for people whose voices are rarely heard, allowing them to advocate for themselves and for issues directly affecting them. In the future, Robert hopes to continue speaking out on topics surrounding homelessness and unemployment, to become a published author and to see his daughter grow up in a peaceful and loving environment.

Seven Years Selling Street Sense By James Davis Vendor I became a Street Sense vendor seven years ago as one of the original corps of vendors. In those days, it was not uncommon for vendors to sell upwards of 1,500 papers a month, as news about a Washington street newspaper spread rapidly by word-of-mouth, advertising and other news media. A lot of what Street Sense has become was hashed out in the early days at an all-day retreat at Washington’s famous O Street Mansion, where the original board members and some of the vendors devised the vendor code of conduct, mission statement and advertising strategy for the paper. The paper’s rapid rise was fueled by a series of eviction stories that made their way into the established media, including the Wall Street Journal and the News

Hour with Jim Lehrer, where I appeared. I also appeared on several cable TV networks, including the Discovery Channel and Travel Channel. I still get requests to speak to media, but I prefer that new vendors and homeless activists take the media spotlight. I use my activist voice as a speaker for the National Coalition for the Homeless and have spoken about poverty and homelessness on Capitol Hill and at colleges and organizations around the country. Prior to being with Street Sense, I enjoyed a career as an electrical engineer for a defense contractor and retired after 25 years. For the past four years, I have worked as a lab technician in the Washington Square Building on 17th St. I’m also a part-time vendor, keeping the paper going for others who are looking for a hand up and not a handout. I would like to thank all who supported me in my endeavors and continue to do so.

STREET SENSE March 16 - 29, 2011

Service Spotlight: Community of Hope By Maria Stoyadinova Editorial Volunteer Community of Hope provides housing services, health care and educational opportunities for families in need in the D.C. metropolitan area, with a 2011 annual operating budget of $8.3 million. “We try to help families out of homelessness as soon as possible,” said Kelly McShane, executive director. “The faster we can end homelessness for the families we work with, the better it is for them, and also it means we can serve more families.” Community of Hope currently provides housing services to more than 100 families through several shelters and apartments.Community of Hope also offers two housing programs: the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) and Home Now. HPRP provides short-term rental subsidies and case management and housing specialist services, all of which aim to help clients increase their independence, understand their rights as tenants and improve their ability to increase their income in the fu-

DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS HOTLINE 1-888-7WE HELP (1-888-793-4357) www.dcfoodfinder.org

SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 110 Maryland Ave, NE (202) 289-0596 (office) (202) 289-2111 (shelter) www.calvaryservices.org

ture. Home Now provides “scattered-site permanent supportive housing,” longterm rental subsidies and case management services. The organization also has a health center in Adams Morgan, which provides dental, medical and behavioral health services. If a patient does not currently have health insurance, the Health Center employees help him or her sign up for insurance, or put the person on a sliding fee scale based on their income. The minimum payment is $10. “One of Community of Hope’s greatest challenges has been identifying and maintaining funds in order to provide quality services that meet the needs of families that are experiencing homelessness,” McShane said. In order to apply for housing at any of the Community of Hope facilities, all families must go through the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center, which can be reached at 202-546-0017 or 202-7244208. For more information about Community of Hope, call 202-407-7747 or visit http:// www.communityofhopedc.org. My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596, Washington, DC 20017 (202) 529-5261 (office) (202) 529-5991 (24-hour hotline)

801 East, St. Elizabeths Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561–4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men 18+) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359

Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393–1909 www.newhopeministriesdc.org/id3.html

FOOD

Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Ave., SE (202) 610–9600, www.covenanthousedc.org John Young Center (Women) 119 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469, www.catholiccharitiesdc.org

Community Service St. Stephens Parish Church 1525 Newton St, NW (202) 737–9311, www.thrivedc.org

Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW (202) 328–6608, www.marthastable.org

Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269–2277, www.foodandfriends.org

Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW (202) 682–1005, www.ccdsd.org/howorwc.php

Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452–8089, www.miriamskitchen.org

Sasha Bruce Youthwork 741 8th Street, SE (202) 675–9340, www.sashabruce.org

The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW (202) 347–2635, http://www.epiphanydc. org/ministry/welcometbl.htm

So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW (202) 797–8806; www.some.org

MEDICAL RESOURCES Christ House 1717 Columbia Road, NW (202) 328–1100, www.christhouse.org Unity Health Care, Inc. 3020 14th Street, NW (202) 745–4300,www.unityhealthcare.org Whitman–Walker Clinic 1407 S Street, NW (202) 797–3500, www.wwc.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Academy of Hope GED Center 601 Edgewood St., NE 202-269-6623, www.aohdc.org Catholic Community Services 924 G Street, NW (202) 772–4300, www.ccs–dc.org D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW (202) 347–8870, www.dccfh.org Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW (202) 347–0511, www.cflsdc.org

OUTREACH CENTERS N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060, www.nstreetvillage.org

Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745–7118, www.missiondc.org

Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356,www.communityofhopedc.org

Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW (202) 232–3066 www.stmargaretsdc.org/charliesplac Church of the Pilgrims (Sundays only) 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387–6612, www.churchofthepilgrims.org Thrive DC Breakfast served Mon.-Fri., 9:30-11 a.m. Dinner for women and children, Mon.-Fri., 3-6 p.m.

Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265–2400 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561–8587, www.breadforthecity.org Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 364–1419, www.cchfp.org Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060, www.nstreetvillage.org Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842–1112 Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675–9050, www.friendshiphouse.net Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338–8301 www.georgetownministrycenter.org

Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332–4010, www.foundryumc.org Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842–1731, www.grm.org Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332–2874 www.ccs–dc.org/find/services/ JHP, Inc. 425 2nd St, NW (202) 544–9126, www.jobshavepriority.org Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202) 889–7702, www.samaritanministry.org

SHELTER HOTLINE: 1–800–535–7252

THE LAST WORD

Chasing the Sweet Life

Government of the District of Columbia • Department of Human Services

By Mehreen Rasheed Editorial Intern I met César one Saturday morning while passing out turkey sandwiches in Franklin Square Park. At 35 years old, he’d spent the last 10 years here after coming from his native Mexico. I am the new event coordinator for a local student group that hosts D.C.’s Project Downtown, an effort established in 2006 by university studentsin Florida to provide food and supplies to the homeless in cities around the country. As an intern at Street Sense, I already had a pretty good idea of what I would see. Almost every park bench was occupied by someone sitting or sleeping next to a large pile of their possessions, usually stuffed into bags or suitcases. With the District’s homelessness rate among the highest in the nation, the sight of parks — even ones less than a mile from the White House — filled with people is not uncommon. Most overnight shelters do not allow guests during the day, so many people try to find a place off of the streets where they can find a little peace. I was wandering around with a stack of sandwiches when a man caught my eye. He was wearing a rather chic pair of wide-rimmed glasses, with a book in one hand and a bottle of Amp in the other. Beside him sat a bundle of possessions and a guitar case. Intrigued, I approached him. César had started taking night classes at a local high school last year and he was left to choose between paying tuition and paying rent. He chose tuition. And that, he said, is why he was sitting there that day. “It’s really hard to get a job with my legal status,” César said. “But I thought to myself, I’ve been in this country 10 years now, going from job to job doing work no one else will do...I just want my

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