Ivory Wilson breaks a childhood taboo, gains a friend and loses his innocence, page 12
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July 1, 2007 - July 15, 2007
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Volume 4, Issue 14
www.streetsense.org
Homeless Count Drops; Families Struggle in Suburbs
Words of Hope Book Club Offers Jailed Youth a Second Chance By Katie Wells
Books, page 4
“You opened up a new world to me and I love it so much,” a jailed teen wrote.
In My Opinion
Let’s Not Waste Our Freedom Anymore By Eric Sheptock
they don’t like to think about the state of their society. They prefer to leave governing to the “professionals.” But I don’t see how our nation’s leaders are any more professional than the rest of us. Besides, putting your fate into the hands of others is not really freedom at all. It makes you depen-
dent on those who are willing to think for you. And that contradicts the term “independence.” You are only free to the extent to which you are ready, willing and able to think for yourself. The founders of this nation crossed the
NATIONAL
LOCAL
REVIEW
Democratic candidates express their stance on poverty, page 4 POLITICS
Teenagers from across the country learn about homelessness, page 5 FEATURE
Vendor Brenda Karyl Lee-Wilson dines on Texas Barbecue, page 10 VENDOR NOTES
The federal hate crimes statute does not protect homeless, page 6
A new book gives the real scoop on homelessness, page 8
Vendors Lee Mayse and James Davis find employment, page 14
Independence Day is upon us once again. There will be barbecues and fireworks, and we’ll be reminded that freedom isn’t free. But there’s much still to be said about freedom and the pursuit of happiness. It appalls me when people say
See
Freedom, page 13
Inside This Issue Politics and Poverty
No Homeless Hate Crimes
Youth Help the Homeless
Truth about Homelessness
Texas Tastiness
Jobs and More Jobs
Graphic by Katie Wells
See
Courtesy Free Minds Book Club and writing workshop
Rolling phyllo dough is not the only thing that Demetrius Beatty, a cook at D.C. restaurant Zaytinya, does with his hands. He also writes poetry. Just over a year ago, Beatty was in prison. He honed his writing skills during his incarceration through the Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop. The program brings books, writing workshops and mentors to 16- and 17-year-olds charged as adults and serving time in the D.C. prison system. Its mission is to inspire teenagers to achieve their goals, both educationally and professionally. This voluntary club also provides a way for members to discuss books, read selections aloud and foster a sense of community that extends far beyond prison walls. For example, authors oc-
By Kaukab Jhumra Smith Fewer people are homeless in the Washington, D.C., area than a year ago, but the drop in numbers for the District and its immediate vicinity coincides with a sharp rise in homeless families in outlying suburbs, local governments reported. A b o u t 1 1 , 7 6 2 p e o p l e a re homeless in the region, 3% less since last year, according to a report released June 13 by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Though this marks the first decrease in three years, homelessness in the region is 5.9% higher than in 2004. And more than two out of every five adults from homeless families have jobs but cannot afford housing. In some suburbs, the number of employed but homeless adults in families soars as high as three out of every four. The findings are based on a 24-hour count of people living on streets and other public areas, in temporary housing a n d i n s h e l t e r s o n Ja n . 2 5 , 2007. Since 2001, the council’s annual count has provided a “snapshot” of homelessness by looking at the people in contact with service providers on one day of the year.
It is not intended as a scientific count, the council cautions. The District’s 6.5% decrease is largely due to improved access to permanent housing and better support for primary and mental health care, substance abuse treatment and job placement, said Michael Ferrell, chairman of the homeless services committee for the council that released the report. “We’re all struggling to provide more services, to provide the services better and more appropriately, and to have more diversity in the types of services,” Ferrell said. The District’s drop contributed to the regional decline in numbers. Nearly half of the region’s homeless, or 5,757 people, live in the capital city. Prince George’s, Mo n t g o m e r y a n d A r l i n g t o n counties, which together account for nearly a quarter of the region’s homeless, also counted fewer homeless people this year. But the remaining quarter of the region’s homeless live farther out in Maryland and Virginia, where counties like Fairfax, Falls Church, Loudoun, Prince William and Frederick are experiencing a very different trend. “It used to be that people
See
Count, page 5
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
ALL ABOUT US
Our Mission
1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347-2006 Fax: (202) 347-2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert Egger Ted Henson Barbara Kagan David Pike John Snellgrove Michael Stoops Francine Triplett David Walker Kathy Whelpley
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laura Thompson Osuri VENDOR MANAGER Jesse Smith Jr. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lawless C. Watson Jr. EDITOR IN CHIEF Kaukab Jhumra Smith ASSOCIATE EDITOR David S. Hammond (volunteer) INTERN Daniel Johnson VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Mia Boyd, Karen Brooks, Cliff Carle, Diana Cosgrove, Mary Cunningham, Rick Dahnke, Darcy Gallucio, Jake Geissinger, Genevieve Gill, Leo Gnawa, Casie Good, Joanne Goodwin, Carol Hannaford, Annie Hill, Daniel Horner, Rafaelle Ieva, Jennifer Jett, Mary Lynn Jones, Jessica LeGarde, August Mallory, Rita Marjandaro, Mandy McAnally, Moria McLaughlin, Kent Mitchell, Sean O’Connor, Mike O’Neill, Swinitha Osuri, Jen Pearl, David Pike, Diane Rusignola, Sarah Schoolcraft, Eric Sheptock, Jennifer Singleton, Katie Smith, Francine Triplett, Linda Wang, Katie Wells, Michelle Williams, Brenda Karyl Lee-Wilson, Dan Winegarten, Marian Wiseman, Corrine Yu VENDORS Willie Alexander, Michael Anderson, Jake Ashford, George Atwater, Patricia Benjamin, Tommy Bennett, James Berthey, Robin Blount, Croey Bridges, Bobby G. Buggs, Allen Carter, James Castle, Conrad Cheek Jr., Elena Cirpaci, James Coleman, George Williams, Anthony Crawford, Louise Davenport, Yllama Davenport, James Davis, Ricardo Dickerson, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon El, Michael Douglas, Don Gardner, Barron Hall, David Harris, Dewayne Harrison, John Harrison, Donna Hendricks, Donald Henry, Patricia Henry, Michael Higgs, Philip Howard, Agula Hunter, Joanne Jackson, Michael Jefferson, Patricia Jefferson, Allen Jones, DeRutter Jones, Devon Jones, Mark Jones, Greg Lucas, Charlie Mayfield, Lee Mayse, Michelle McCullough, Jennifer McLaughlin, Lawrence Miller, Charles Nelson, Larry Olds, Moyo Onibuje, Therese Onyemenom, Ricky Pearson, Kevin Robinson, Dennis Rutledge, Gerald Smith, Patty Smith, Steve Stone, Noven Thomas, Matisha Thompson, Lawrence Tyman, Martin Walker, Henry Washington, George Williams, Wendell Williams, Ivory Wilson, Jason Wrightson
We are proud members of:
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.
Our Editorial Policy
Editorials and features in Street Sense reflect the perspectives of the authors. We invite the submission of news, opinion, fiction and poetry, hoping to create a means in which a multitude of perspectives on poverty and homelessness can find expression. Street Sense reserves the right to edit any material.
North American Street Newspaper Association
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 about starting a street newspaper in Washington, D.C. A street paper is defined as a newspaper about poverty, homelessness and other social issues that provides an income to the homeless individuals who sell it. About 25 street papers operate in the United States and Canada in places like Seattle, Chicago, Montreal and Boston, and dozens more exist throughout the world. After bringing together a core of dedicated volunteers and vendors, Street Sense came out with its first issue in November 2003, printing 5,000 copies. For the next three years the paper published consistently on a monthly basis and greatly expanded its circulation and vendor network.
For the first year, Street Sense operated as a project of the National Coalition for the Homeless, but in October 2004, the organization incorporated and moved into its own office space. In March 2005, Street Sense received 501(c)3 status, becoming an independent 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 in November 2006 , the organization hired its first vendor coordinator. In February 2007, the paper started publishing twice a month as the network of vendors expanded to more than 50 homeless men and women. And to support the increased production, Street Sense brought on its first full-time editor in chief in April .
June 15 - July 1 Donors Barbara Basler Gregory Chronister Pia Duryea J Frank Robin Goracke Jennifer Hatton Julie Oyegun Jennifer and Anthony Park Ranjeev Purohit Jamile and Sal Ramadan
A special thanks to: Cafe St. Ex Linda Fibich Barbara Kagan Monica Lamboy Dan and Gloria Logan James McIntyre Caroline Ramsay Merriam Michael and Swinitha Osuri David F. Pike Whelpley Family Fund
Thank You!
International Network of Street Papers
Street Sense Vendor Code of Conduct 1.
Street Sense will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $1. I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Street Sense by any 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 all others – customers, staff, other vendors – respectfully, and 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 the paper. 7. I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 8. There are no territories among vendors. I will respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer. 9. I understand that my badge is the property of Street Sense and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge 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.
WANNA HELP? If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or have a great article or feature idea, please contact Koki Smith at 202-347-2006. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact Jesse Smith Jr. at the same number or come to a vendor training session on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. at our office (1317 G Street, NW - near Metro Center.)
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
PROFILE
SERVICE Profile
Hectic Schedule Doesn’t Deter Advocate for Homeless By Sean P. O’Connor
Photo courtesy of claire McGuire
Claire McGuire is a unique individual who possesses an innate sense of responsibility to help those who may have no one else to turn to. She is an advocate for the troubled and out-of-luck who end up homeless. For the past seven years, McGuire has been a volunteer intake counselor with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. “It’s about acting as an advocate for the homeless,” said McGuire, a practicing attorney for 30 years. “With limited means of communication, the homeless people I encounter are at a serious disadvantage.” McGuire earned her law degree at Boston College in the 1970s. Since then, she has been carving out her career working as a litigator for the federal government. Every few months, McGuire reports to the Community for Creative Non-Violence shelter to volunteer with the legal clinic. She has also done pro bono work for the D.C. Bar’s Advice and Referral and Pro-Se-Plus Divorce clinics. The legal clinic is a nonprofit that provides legal services to the District’s homeless citizens. In addition to its impressive staff of attorneys, the legal clinic runs the Legal Assistance Project, which includes a network of more than 200 volunteer attorneys and paralegals working to help the 1,000-plus clients that turn to the legal clinic every year. Volunteers take in clients at churches, shelters and other facilities throughout the District. Some lawyers come in more than once a month, while others volunteer every few months. McGuire conducts intake ses-
All in a day’s work: Claire McGuire helped a homeless woman find an apartment and gather furniture.
sions every three months or so. into her work with the legal clinic. As a lawyer for the federal government, For example, after helping one homeless McGuire sometimes finds it difficult to set woman secure an apartment, McGuire realaside time to volized the woman had u n t e e r, b e c a u s e no furniture or househer schedule can hold items. To fix this be more restrictive p ro b l e m , Mc Gu i re than it would be held a neighborhood if she worked for goods-and-furniture a private law firm. drive at her home in Somehow, though, Northwest Washing-Claire McGuire she finds the time. ton to collect items. But three or four She and her son then sessions a year do hand-delivered the not fully represent the commitment she puts gifts to the woman at her new apartment.
“...the homeless people I encounter are at a serious disadvantage. ”
One of the biggest issues facing the homeless population is the absence of communication tools, McGuire says. In a technologically savvy world, many people take interconnectedness for granted – but it’s the people with limited access to Internet and phone services who get left behind. McGuire sees this as sort of a digital divide, with the homeless population on the losing side of the bridge. “I recently worked with a man with a particularly deserving case but then couldn’t find him,” McGuire says. However, just as quickly as he disappeared, he came back, and McGuire continues to work with him. Although McGuire doesn’t represent clients in court (some volunteers do provide that service), her role is equally important. She assists clients with tasks like filling out forms, writing letters and understanding documents. McGuire says a particularly memorable volunteer experience involved a homeless woman injured on the job. Her injuries were obvious, and doctors recommended that she get an MRI, but her health insurance company wouldn’t cover it. A simple letter, written by McGuire, and a follow-up phone call were all it took. The client received the MRI and the treatment she needed. Mary Ann Luby, outreach coordinator for the legal clinic, says McGuire is “passionate and tenacious” and has a commendable commitment to the District’s homeless. For more information on the Washington Legal Clinic, visit http://www.legalclinic.org
Donate to Street Sense My Information
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Name:_______________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:_______________________________________________ Phone:_______________________E-mail:_________________________ Please make checks payable to Street Sense Street Sense is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. You can also donate online at www.streetsense.org
___ $50 for two vendor awards each month ___ $70 for one restaurant review ___ $100 for postage each month ___ $200 for the vests of 15 new vendors ___ $500 for monthly rent and insurance ___ $1,200 for the printing of one issue ___ Another amount of $_______ ___ Another amount of $_______ for vendor: ________________
Additional items that Street Sense needs: * Messenger and tote bags and backpacks for vendors
* Office chairs
* Bottled water to hand out to vendors
* Laptop computers with at least Windows 2000
* Food for vendor meetings
and 10 GB of storage space
Please call 202-347-2006 or send an e-mail to info@streetsense.org if you have any of these items to donate.
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
NATIONAL NEWS
Democratic Frontrunners Tout Faith in Fight Against Poverty
Ryan Rodrick Beiler/Sojourners
Presidential candidates John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama discussed the impact of faith on their policies at a June forum organized by the Sojourners/Call to Renewal ministries as part of a campaign to put poverty on the national agenda.
By Michelle N. Williams In a first for the presidential campaign, Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.), John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), the three best-known Democratic candidates, affirmed the connection between their faith and their political commitment to eliminating poverty at a nationally televised forum organized by a progressive Christian network in June. The forum, part of a three-day conference, was organized by the Sojourners/Call to Renewal ministries as part of their campaign to put poverty on the national agenda. Those who sign the ministries’ pledge are asked to vote in 2008 based on candidates’ commitments to overcoming poverty, as well as to lobby their representatives to fight poverty in the U.S. and abroad, and to mobilize others to do the same. “People of faith should never be in the pocket of a party or any political candidate,” Jim Wallis, who leads the ministries, said at the forum. “Martin Luther King never endorsed a candidate. He made them endorse a movement.” Forum moderator Soledad O’Brien of CNN asked the candidates personal questions about faith, while questions about poverty stayed within the context of national issues and policies. While candidates linked their faith to domestic antipoverty policies, they did not address global poverty and couched references to the war in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in secular terms. Edwards, who focused on the divide between the “two Americas” in his 2004 presidential campaign, spoke at great length on how his faith shaped his views on poverty. “My faith plays an enormous role in how I see the world,” he said. “As long as I’m alive and breathing, I will do everything I can to help the poor in this country,” Edwards said. He stressed that fighting poverty is part of who he is, and that there has been a “long and consistent pattern of this being the cause of my life.” Mentioning the work he’s done on poverty-related issues such as minimum wage, union support, and urban ministries, Edwards said he is committed to the achievable goal of eliminating poverty in the next 30 years. Edwards pointed out that he visited New Orleans and
other parts of Louisiana several times since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “What has happened in New Orleans is a national embarrassment,” Edwards said. “As president, I would personally commit to making New Orleans a priority.” Obama has publicly addressed issues of urban poverty in African-American neighborhoods before, often referring to his experience as a community organizer in Chicago. At the forum, he emphasized interconnectedness as an approach to poverty, pointing out that the average CEO makes more money in one day than the average poor person makes in an entire year. “My starting point as president is to restore the sense that we are all together. Are we our brother’s keeper, our sister’s keeper?” Obama said, referencing the Bible. Obama also stressed the importance of self-reliance. “We have these individual responsibilities and these societal responsibilities, and those things aren’t mutually exclusive,” he said. The government’s responsibilities include improving early childhood education, reforming the prison system, designing education programs for ex-offenders, and increasing the minimum wage, Obama said. Most such reforms are left undone “because we lack the political will,” Obama said. Clinton, often reviled for her efforts as First Lady to reform the health care system, spoke on the moral wrong of having a large percentage of the U.S. population without health insurance. “We know for a fact that the uninsured who end up in hospitals are more likely to die,” she said. She suggested building a political consensus to resolve the issue. “People need to give up a little bit of their turf in order to build common ground,” she said. Clinton said that talking about her faith did not come naturally to her. “I come from a faith tradition that is perhaps a little too suspicious of people who wear their faith on their sleeves,” she said. Nevertheless, her faith gave her the strength to get through her years under scrutiny in the White House, Clinton said. Sojourners/Call to Renewal will hold a similar forum for Republican presidential candidates this fall.
Books, from page 1 casionally join workshops as guests, creating a larger network of support. Free Minds also puts its members in touch with volunteer pen pals who exchange books and letters with the young poets. The pen pals represent one of the most important links for the participants. “You begin through the book,” Beatty said. One Free Minds Book Club member, S.B., wrote a letter saying, “I am sorry it took so long to return the letter. I just couldn’t put these books down for the life of me. You opened up a new world to me and I love it so much. My imagination runs wild now, just like Chris Gardner’s did in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness.’ I’ve already read ‘The Measure of a Man’ by Sidney Poitier, which taught me a lot about character, manhood and how I should deal with certain situations. It is helping me change.” The Free Minds program was started by journalists Tara Libert and Kelli Taylor in 2002. Their initial goal was to get books into the jail system, but the program has provided much more than just books for these teenagers. Libert and Taylor have expanded their program to offer support services while the youths are in federal prisons and as they undergo re-entry services when they are being released. “Jails are just the starting point,” Libert said. Free Minds sends writing materials to members in federal prisons throughout the country. Twice-monthly workshops, part of the re-entry services, help members develop job skills and financial responsibility when incarceration ends. “They come because they want out of the cells. They stay because they discover that they like reading and writing,” explained Libert. About 200 participants have come through Libert and Taylor’s program. Last year alone, 110 members joined. Once inmates with few skills, these young adults have become accomplished writers. Many of the participants have never before read a book from cover to cover and have been labeled as learning-disabled. Not only does Free Minds empower these teenagers, but it also boosts their self-confidence. “The hardest thing about Free Minds is just accepting that you are involved in a good thing and people appreciate what you are doing,” Beatty said. Beatty performed his poetry and the poetry of some of his incarcerated peers at the Fourth Annual Free Minds Poetry Reading in May. A packed audience at The Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage listened to Beatty and other club members reflect on violence, drugs, regret and the future. Unable to leave prison, the absent poets’ words carried a message of hope to those in attendance. “I didn’t even know he could write poetry,” said C. L., family member of a Free Minds Book Club participant. She heard the poetry performed for the first time at the reading in May. With the help of Free Minds, Beatty was accepted to one of the top culinary schools in the country, the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Although he was unable to raise funds for tuition, Beatty continues to pursue his dream of becoming a chef. For inspiration, Beatty is reading “Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras,” the life story of chef Jeff Henderson, whose culinary success followed years of incarceration. “Free Minds offers these young people what nothing else in the jail does,” wrote Santha Sonenberg, staff attorney with the D.C. Public Defender Service. “Regrettably, it is only available to a limited number of youths at the jail. Perhaps if while in the community they’d had the sorts of positive, enthusiastic, meaningful and relevant interactions with education that Kelli Taylor and Tara Libert provide through Free Minds, they would not have become involved with the criminal justice system.” Initials were used throughout the story to protect the identity of the individuals.
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
LOCAL NEWS
Teens Break Through Stereotypes About Homelessness By Daniel Johnson
Volunteers Erin Lyles, Samantha Jones and Cara Boyd put together a wardrobe at the N Street Village.
on homelessness and poverty.” Kyle Anderson, community outreach coordinator for N Street Village, a nonprofit community center for homeless women, said he appreciates the number of teenage volunteers that come through service learning programs to help nonprofits. “Teenagers are very open-minded, definitely more open-minded than adult groups,” Anderson said. “Groups like that are really important to what we do here. Volunteers
are essential to our organization.” Although a week may not seem like enough time to make an immediate impact, it is the effect of the first-hand education that fuels youth programs to continue what they do. “You have to start somewhere,” McClurg said. “High-schoolers and middle-schoolers who are learning about this will hopefully grow up to be constituents who can vote and make an impact on changing the things they see here.”
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Count, from page 1 thought we’re out here in the weeds and the sticks,” said Beth Rosenberg, co-chairwoman of the Loudoun County Continuum of Care, a coalition of community groups working to prevent homelessness and fill service gaps. Faced with rising populations, changing demographics and skyrocketing housing costs, Loudoun, Prince William, Falls Church and Frederick counties are seeing more homeless, especially families, enter shelters at a time when funding for social services is tight. Although the actual homeless counts for these counties look small, often numbering in the hundreds as compared to the thousands in D.C., the percentage changes over the years are enormous. Loudoun County’s population has ballooned by 58% in the last six years to nearly 269,000, according to U.S. Census figures. And despite a median household income surpassing $94,000, there has been a 129% increase in the homeless population since 2004 – from 92 to 211. Rosenberg attributes the increases to the rising cost of housing. Patricia Johanson, who works with the Prince William Department of Social Services, affirms the lack of affordable housing in her area. “As more people move in, there are more service sector people needed, and yet the housing is not adequate for them nor are wages increasing,” Johanson said. “We certainly are getting bigger homes, much more expensive homes. The rents increase every year and there are no more rental units that I know of in the pipeline.” The rise in homeless totals may also
Daniel Johnson
Education is usually the last thing on most teenagers’ minds during the summer. But for a handful of D.C. area organizations, educating teenagers is essential to helping homelessness in America. Every summer, thousands of teenagers travel to D.C. to take an immersive crash course on homelessness in America through nonprofit organizations working with the District’s homeless. At least five programs in the D.C. area actively house and educate teenagers about homelessness with the intention of planting seeds for future action. “Our main focus is to educate people beyond stereotypes,” said Jay Starr, programming assistant for Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP), a program based at the Church of the Epiphany near the District’s Metro Center for the last four years. “If you want to see all the tourist sites in D.C., you can do that, but if you want to see the real D.C., that’s not as easy.” One of the largest programs in the area, YSOP brings in large numbers of teenage groups from around the country every week. “It develops a sense of active citizenship in a way that really inspires youth to become involved in their communities,” Starr said. Although YSOP brings in groups of all ages throughout the year, the summer groups comprise mainly of teenagers. YSOP gives youth the opportunity to serve and reflect on what
they see in the city. “In a small town you don’t really get to experience the big city and what is really out there,” said Cara Boyd, 16, a YSOP participant from Paducah, Ky. “In high school you get so caught up in the social aspects of your life that it’s good to experience something different.” Most teenagers who participate in such programs experience a combination of community service, reflection and education. Participants in YSOP spend a majority of their days working at nonprofit organizations already helping the homeless and spend the rest of the day in reflection of what they are experiencing. “I always thought people were homeless because of drugs and alcohol and used to wonder why someone couldn’t get a job,” Boyd said. “Now I know that it can be a number of things and you shouldn’t look down upon them.” YSOP is not the only youth service learning program in the D.C. area. The Pilgrimage, a Presbyterian youth service learning program based at the Church of the Pilgrims on P Street NW, accepts groups of all affiliations. Last summer, 23 groups and 333 volunteers served D.C.’s homeless through the Pilgrimage. “Summer is definitely our busiest time of the year,” Program Director Jen McClurg said. “We have week-long groups and we have them focus on social justice here with a narrow focus
partly result from more thorough counting methods, more detailed questioning and better outreach to homeless people on the street, county officials and homeless advocates said. Things look cautiously optimistic for the District and its immediate suburbs, where officials say they expect their numbers’ downward trend to continue with the introduction of more homeless services and housing. But at least in Loudoun and Prince William, county officials expect their homeless numbers to keep going up. As a result, officials in these counties are planning for improved services and housing. Communities may not immediately understand the need for changes given the numbers in the report, Johanson said. The report’s count uses the federal definition of homelessness, and does not include people who are living in crowded accommodations or who are a paycheck away from losing their homes. “If you’re a middle-class family and you’re working hard every day, and somebody says there’s 614 homeless people in Prince William, you’ll say that’s not too bad,” Johanson said. But, “This is only a 24-hour snapshot. It gives you the barest of information.”
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Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
6 POLITICS
Street Politics By David S. Hammond
On the Hill
Homeless Excluded From Latest Hate Crime Legislation By Kent Mitchell
Affordable Housing Crisis Hits the Airwaves Firefighters, teachers, cops, nannies, and nurses – they “save our lives, protect our homes, and teach our children. But ... thousands of workers cannot afford to live in this expensive area. And they are moving farther away from the people who need them.” That’s the message of radio spots that aired in June on WTOP, WAMU, WASH, WBIG, and WJZW. The ads aim to increase public awareness and shift perceptions of affordable housing, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which sponsored them in partnership with its affiliate the Washington Area Housing Partnership (WAHP). “Many jurisdictions in the region are more accepting of affordable housing,” said Barbara Favola, chairwoman of the partnership and a member of the Arlington County Board. But some neighbors remain “very fearful” about increased density and traffic when it comes to multi-family units, she said. “Those NIMBY (‘Not In My Back Yard’) reactions really limit progress, so the purpose of the campaign is to help people say ‘yes’,” Favola said. The housing partnership backs up its public-awareness efforts with technical support like workshops and an online “Toolkit for Affordable Housing Development” for advocates and local governments. The affordable housing problem isn’t news to lower-income people, advocates or government officials – they’ve seen it growing for a long time. And Maryland and D.C. candidates talked about it a lot last year. But as one area observer remarked last year, “Affordable housing is only called a crisis since it started hitting the middle class, too.” You could say that’s a bitter truth – or you could say the issue is finally getting the attention it deserves. Experts say the District has made real progress on affordable housing, and things are beginning to change all across the region. The radio spots are just more proof of how widespread, and how urgent, this problem has become. Planners and public officials have been sounding the alarm. Getting support from everyone else looks like the final step in finding permanent solutions to the permanent crisis in affordable housing.
DC Takes Stock of Its Real Estate Holdings D.C.’s Office of Property Management (OPM) has just released an “Inventory of Property Controlled by District Agencies.” This long-awaited resource (available online at http://opm.dc.gov) answers some longstanding concerns – and promises to bring new discussions about city revenue, development, community services, emergency shelter and affordable housing. “It’s a good tool for communities to provide oversight ... to protect public property for public use,” said Parisa Norouzi, co-director of Empower DC, an advocacy group for low-income populations in the District. The group supported creating an inventory of public property on the grounds that such a list can help people identify resources and push for their dedication to needs like recreation, health services, affordable housing, and incubating small businesses. Although the list could help developers identify attractive properties, it could also add transparency and public deliberation when the city sells or leases real estate. Before city property can be sold, the D.C. Council’s Committee on Workforce Development and Government Operations must declare it “surplus” property with no public purpose. Carol Schwartz (R-At Large), the new committee chairwoman, sees the list as an aid in managing D.C.’s portfolio and saving money, too. Schwartz has previously called for a moratorium on sales of city property until the property management office produced a list of city holdings. Her legislation didn’t make it, but now she looks forward to using the list. “The purpose was to see what we’ve got,” Schwartz said. “We have got a lot of offices we are renting [from private landlords], which costs the taxpayers.” Now, she said, “I want to see which properties are usable [or] could be renovated ... And there are social service needs – schools, charter schools, and lease arrangements for social services. “My goal is not to sell,” Schwartz stressed. “I wanted to see written down what properties we own – it’s something we should have done 10, 20 years ago.” And, she said, “This is just the beginning of the analysis.”
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For the two and a half years that David Pirtle was homeless in the District of Columbia, violence was part of the daily routine. He saw an elderly homeless man beaten senseless by police just for stepping out of a courthouse line and knows one homeless man who had his ear cut off in a shelter because he wouldn’t stop talking to himself. And he has personal stories of assault. Of being stoned on several occasions. Of being spray-painted by a group of kids. “I was attacked once in New York City by a kid with an aluminum bat, or at least I believed it to be a bat,” Pirtle said. “I was too busy trying to shield my face from the blows to get a good look.” Pirtle’s experience of being attacked just for being homeless isn’t unique. The National Coalition for the Homeless collects information on such crimes and reports 142 incidents in 2006, 20 of which were murders. Despite these statistics, which are widely acknowledged to be an underestimate because they include only reported incidents, the U.S. Congress is preparing to expand the definition and enforcement of hate crimes—a special class of crimes which are motivated by race, religion and other factors—without including crimes motivated by homeless status. The proposed revision, passed by the House of Representatives in May, would expand the persons covered by federal hate crimes law and include crimes motivated by sexual orientation and disability. Statistics on hate crimes are voluntarily reported by state and local jurisdictions to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and in the most recent year (2005), 14% of the more than 7,000 incidents cataloged were motivated by sexual orientation and less than 1% by disability. A lack of official statistics has hampered efforts of homeless advocates to protect homeless victims of violence. State and local jurisdictions do not collect that data, and a government study commissioned by members of Congress to assess the scope of the problem was never performed. Federal statistics do provide clues to the extent of the problem, noting that more than 18% of 2005 hate crimes occurred in highways, roads, alleys or streets. “More homeless people are being killed than any other protected class,” said Tulin Ozdeger, a staff attorney with the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. “This is not an insignificant problem.”
A source close to proceedings in the Senate, where legislation has been introduced by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) notes that including homeless provisions faces not only a proof of burden hurdle, but strong legal opposition from opponents. Jessica Schuler, a policy analyst with the National Coalition for the Homeless, has heard the legal arguments. “Homelessness is something that can change and is not a permanent quality like race,” she said. “Some are worried that if we include homelessness it opens the door to other factors like age.” She maintains that the homeless should receive special protections. “The crimes committed against them are committed out of the same bias, ignorance and hate that other hate crimes result from,” she said. A source in Congress notes that the best opportunity to negotiate homeless language into the bill may be in the Senate, where there are more opportunities to amend legislation. Advocates, in particular, note the importance of asking state and local jurisdictions to collect data that sets the stage for more expansive action in Congress in the future. “It would really be useful to get statistics and hope it is included,” Ozdeger said. The hate crimes legislation currently faces an uncertain future, as President Bush has indicated he would veto the legislation passed by the House. In addition to its federal lobbying efforts, the National Law Center is working with state legislators to pass hate crimes legislation that addresses homelessness. Seven states considered legislation this year, including Maryland, where a bill passed the state Senate but later stalled. Like most jurisdictions, the District does not catalog whether reported hate crimes are motivated by homeless status. District statistics from 2005 report 48 hate-crime incidents, with 30 motivated by sexual orientation. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) has taken the lead in Congress in efforts to include homeless provisions in the larger hate crimes legislation. She recently introduced two bills, one which would expand enforcement and one which would allow for the collection of better statistics. “Understanding the nature of such crimes and administering appropriate punishment for them are critical to stopping violence against the homeless,” Rep. Johnson said. “We want to ensure all Americans feel safe in their communities, because no one should be subjected to violence and injury motivated by the narrow biases of others.”
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
in other news By Mandy McAnally Arizona: Forest Patrols to Disband Homeless Camps As the fire season approaches, authorities in the city of Flagstaff say they plan to step up forest patrols in an effort to find homeless persons who have set up permanent camps in the areas around the city. Police say they will also use a Department of Public Safety helicopter crew. Flagstaff Fire Department crews will call in campsites they find and the public is being asked to call them in as well (AP/KTAR News, 6/16). California: Berkeley Strengthens Rules Against Homeless The Berkeley City Council recently passed measures that strengthen restrictions on the homeless in the city’s downtown area. Officials say the measures are part of an effort to attract more business to the area. Other measures under consideration include laws against noise disturbances, smoking near buildings, obstructing or restricting use of the sidewalk, reducing warning provisions for sitting or lying down on sidewalks, littering, unauthorized possession of a shopping cart, public drunkenness or drug abuse (Carson, East Bay, 6/23). California: Long Beach Homeless Count Declines A recent survey shows the number of homeless people in the city of Long Beach has declined 15% since 2005. The survey counted 3,145 homeless adults and 684 homeless children in the city. The largest decline was observed among homeless families. The study also shows that 71% of the homeless in Long Beach are male (Wojtalewicz, Long Beach Beachcomber, 6/22). California: Fresno Approves Tent Restrictions The Fresno City Council has approved an ordinance that requires people to get permits before they erect tents, tarps and trailers on public property. Homeless persons who disobey the rule will receive a warning and a list of agencies that can help them, followed by fines of $100, $200 and then $500. Officials have said they don’t plan to use the ordinance to disband large encampments in the downtown area, but they hope it will encourage the homeless to move to a designated lot the city hopes to buy soon (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 6/20). Massachusetts: Funding Cut Closes Springfield Shelter Homeless advocates are rushing to find 85 beds that will be lost when a Springfield shelter closes this summer. The state cut the shelter’s $400,000 grant and plans to demolish the old jail that houses the facility. Shelter employees said the city has not responded to requests for help in relocating the shelter, but there are tentative plans to move it to a nearby church (Goonan, Springfield Republican, 6/25). Michigan: Kalamazoo Attack Part of Larger Trend A homeless man in Kalamazoo was recently hospitalized after being attacked by 15 teenagers. Some officials and advocates say the case could be part of a wider national trend of attacks on the homeless. According to a recent report by the National Coalition for the Homeless, there were 142 attacks against homeless people last year, 20 of which resulted in death. That finding shows a 65% increase from 2005 and in many of the cases teenagers or young adults committed the attacks (Zangaro, WOOD TV8, 6/19). Wisconsin: Madison Funds Awareness Project The city of Madison has provided about $12,000 in funds to launch programs that aim to help downtown residents better understand homelessness. Ladell Zellers, president of the Capitol Neighborhoods Association, said the project, called “Nurturing Our Capacity for Change,” also seeks to strategize on ways to improve the lives of homeless in the area (Schneider, Capital Times, 6/25).
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Afghanistan: A Golf Club Soldiers On By Mark Bendeich (Reuters) KABUL — Golfers who tee off at the Kabul Golf Course don’t have to worry about their balls landing in the traditional golf hazards of sand bunkers and ponds. The Afghan capital’s only golf course is one giant hazard. From tee to green, there is not a patch of grass; only weeds, rocks, baked-hard mud and the odd strand of barbed wire. Even the “greens” are treacherous and wrongly named: made from compacted pools of black, oily sand, they swarm with nests of angry ants. But Kabul Golf Club has become more than a unique test of golfing skill and nerve since it re-opened three years ago, after U.S.-led forces swept the Taliban militia from power in 2001. In Afghanistan’s sad world of war, kidnappings, beheadings and extreme poverty, the 40-year-old course on the edge of Kabul also offers a glimmer of the past and a distant view of better times. In the late 1960s and 1970s, when Afghanistan was a peaceful kingdom and a romantic destination for Western travelers, the club was a playground for Afghan royalty — and an instant obsession for a young Afghan boy called Muhammad Afzal Abdul. “I came here one day from school and people play golf, two or three American people,” recalled Afzal, 48, who is now the club’s golf pro and manager. “I watch (one of them) and he said, you like to hit the ball? And he gave me one ball and I shoot it over the road, first time. He gave me one club and one ball and he said ‘you practice.’” Back then, the fairways were grassed and held trees, Afzal said through broken teeth as he squinted at the barren course, his bearded face creased from decades of war and hardship. Nestled beside an alpine lake and overlooked by snowy peaks, the nine-hole course can still conjure up an image of its original charm, the fields of Afzal’s youth. But not for long. Reminders of war are everywhere: an old Soviet tank stands on a nearby hill, still pointed at Kabul, and the sixth hole, a long
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par 5, is flanked by the ruins of a Soviet army outpost. A string of barbed wire trails across the first fairway. And until U.S. troops invaded in 2001, the stout little pro shop was home to fighters from the Taliban, who, Afzal said, jailed him for three months because he had worked with foreigners. Afzal, who plays off no handicap and won several tournaments in Kabul in the 1970s, said the course had largely closed after the Soviets invaded in 1979, though some intrepid players still ventured out at times. After the Soviets left in 1989, it became a battlefield. Shells screamed overhead as the anti-communist mujahideen closed in on the capital, Afzal explained as he dangled a bag of irons from his shoulder and pointed to the surrounding mountains. In 2004, the club finally reopened and is now controlled by a former mujahideen fighter who is also trying to turn the adjacent lake, an old picnic spot, once more into a family retreat— away from the suicide bombings and NATO patrols of the city. Like the golf course, it is a hopeful scene: Afghan families walk the foreshore or meander in swan-shaped paddle boats across the lake. There are freshly painted picnic shelters, a swing for children and small restaurants serving fresh bread and green tea. The golf course remains a novelty for mostly foreigners, but Afzal says wealthy Afghans also play. He and his younger brother, Khan Muhammad, have also started a golf school for dozens of Afghan boys and hold an annual caddies’ tournament in autumn. There is even a Web site, http://www.kabulgolfclub.com/, which explains the course’s idiosyncrasies, such as the need to tee up the ball or sit it on a dinner-plate-sized mat for every shot. Despite all the hazards, both on and off the course, Afzal dreams of returning Kabul Golf Club to the fairways of his youth. He can even imagine grass. “I ask other countries. I want them to help me. I can make it a good golf course for Afghanistan.” Courtesy of Street News-Wire (June 18, 2007)
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
FEATURE
Voices from the Street: Truths About Homelessness
The two pieces below are excerpts from the book,”‘Voices from the Street: Truths About Homelessness from Sisters of The Road,”by Jessica P. Morrell, with Genny Nelson, co-founder of Sisters of the Road Cafe. Since 1979 this Portland, Ore., café has been serving low-cost, hot, nutritious meals that can be purchased in a variety of ways, including with cash, food stamps, or in exchange for work. Sisters of the Road also provides job training, support to parents and children, and outlets for community advocacy. Barriers to Finding Work One of the biggest myths is that homeless people don’t want to work. I can name on one hand those who have fit that line during the last 30 years. Everyone else just wants the opportunity to earn their own meals. That’s why our customers said to Sandy and me when we founded Sisters, “Don’t be about free food: do this with dignity; either make it cheap enough that I can pay for it on my income, or give me the chance to work for my meal.” Over and over, people have come to us years later to say, “Thank you for not robbing me of my dignity.” Your humanity doesn’t go away just because society doesn’t see it. It angers me that we don’t have enough places that afford people opportunities after they get their lives together. While people have done some pretty inappropriate things in their lives, all they’re saying is, “I’m not proud of what I’ve done, but I’ve done my time.” This is not about feeling sorry for people or being
a bleeding-heart liberal. It’s about justice and human rights. When talking about obstacles to finding work, all our narrators described that keeping up grooming was essential to obtaining work. Some also talked about how landing a job was impossible when you have bad or missing teeth, or other physical manifestations of homelessness. Logan: Keep your appearance up, and then people have to be motivated to want to go to work. I am a motivated kind of person. I want to work. Dale: Did you ever go look for a job with a backpack on your back? Boss says, ‘What’s your address?’ [When he discovers he has none]: ‘Well, we’ll call and let you know.’ You are not getting the job when they see you are homeless; you got no telephone, you got a week bed [in a shelter]. If you got an address and someplace to leave your stuff, you can actually wear your best clothes and go there without a backpack on your back and make your best presentation to the person. Like Dale, Steve believed that there was work available, but it required practical solutions and incentive to find it. Steve: Do not tell me that there are no jobs. And if there are not, it is because they are going to those who have an education or have the money or have connections or what have you. But it is impossible to find a job when you do not have an address. If you have an address downtown, especially in Old Town, any job you
are looking for, you would hear, ‘Oh, okay, sure, we’ll take an application,’ and then it goes in the garbage can. And yes, I have worked in a number of jobs, odd jobs, under-the-table … but when they find out that you are from that class of people, well, then either they assume that you cannot do it and they let you go, or some convenient excuse comes along. Sisters: So, if you were looking at solutions to ending individual homelessness and ending homelessness in general, what would make a real difference? Steve: [For] those who are homeless now, I would suggest laundry services, clothing services, and I do not mean clothing from the 1920s, I mean, clothing that is appropriate for a job. Mack explained if there are jobs available, they are for low wages, which makes ending their cycle of homelessness impossible. Mack: I don’t want to spend the rest of my life at $6 an hour. I can’t do nothing with my life. I’d rather walk around on the streets, eat out here and there and have some time to myself and work a day a week than to get out there and kill myself and have nothing. Worry about losing your job, trying to maintain a roof over your head, from that kind of money? I don’t even know how people pay rent for that kind of money. Do you? Unless you live at home with your folks. Trevor explained that some days he chose to miss work in order to get clean. Trevor: The shower times are horrible. I mean you can take a shower at 7:30 in the morning, but you know what? If you are not at day labor at 5:30 in the morning you are not going to go out. I would suggest an evening shower, like 7 or something like that, or something bright and early in the morning, four o’clock, or 4:30. If I had a roof over my head and a place I could shower, I think I could become a productive member of society. It is a matter of just having a place to lay down at the end of the day. Violence on the Street Years ago I interviewed customers about what nonviolence at Sisters meant to them. And every man said, “There’s the streets and then there’s Sisters. On the streets, I have to have eyes in back of my head because someone could have a knife. It’s me or the other guy, always.” There’s a culture of homelessness, and danger and violence are a part of it. Mike: Only the strong survive, a lot of the weak shall perish. A lot of them are not bad people, it is just that sometimes mentally and emotionally, sometimes physically, they are not strong enough to endure what needs to be endured down there, to pull themselves up. You know a lot of them have died. If only they would have had a place to stay in a stable environment, they might be here today. The immediate cause of death is homelessness because if they had a place they would not have frozen to death out there. Sisters: So people are dying from homelessness? Mike: Dying, just literally dying. Dying from exposure and things like that. When you are older, weak, and sickly in the winter, you lay down on the cold ground in winter. You are risking not waking up every night you lay on the sidewalk, or on cardboard, or under that bridge. They are literally dying just because
they did not have shelter from the elements. That is sad. In America, too. Howard: They’re a lot of people out there that like to prey on homeless people. Sisters: Have you been preyed on? Howard: Violently? Yes. I have had the daylights kicked out of me, here in Portland. You bet. Once it was by a group of, probably 16to 18-year-old kids, a group of five kids, and there was me and another guy and we had no defense. We couldn’t do anything. These were youngsters that were pretty healthy and they headed out for us because we were homeless. We were street tramps. We were walking alone and had taken a shopping cart. I would say probably around eight o’clock in the evening both incidents occurred, and on a weekend. One was up in Howard District in northeast Portland, and the other time was downtown, on the northwest side of town. The one time I was by myself, but the first time there was myself and another guy. And the second time was what I call skinheads and they just beat me so I had to go to the hospital. I had my eye swell shut so badly that the eye doctor couldn’t even open it up. Sisters: Did they have weapons? Howard: They had, like, boards…two-byfours, I guess. I don’t know what they were. I can’t remember whether they were actually machine tools or what. These guys, like once I was down, they just didn’t stop, and I actually feared for my life. In both groups, coincidentally, there were about five guys in each group. And the second time around, I really did actually think I was going to die. I mean these guys were nuts. Glen: I know people that have gotten hit in the head with bats. All kind of stuff is happening out there. Glen went on to describe a recent incident where a man was walking down the street late at night when he was jumped, beaten and had his wallet stolen. Glen also explained that although he witnessed the mugging, he didn’t dare help the man because then he might also be endangered because the mugger might “end up in the same shelter I am in one night.” Besides facing danger at the hands of others, the temptation of suicide is another danger people who live on the streets must deal with. Karen’s traumatic upbringing, a serious car accident, and a destructive marriage contributed to a severe weight problem and then a drug problem. When her weight ballooned to 405 pounds, she tried crack cocaine in a desperate attempt to lose weight. Karen: It helped. Caused me to have a nervous breakdown, too. Caused me to go into prostitution. Tried killing myself a few times over it. Chuck talked about the effect that living on the streets and avoiding fights had on his psyche: Chuck: I still have a lot of wild animalism in me from being homeless because when you become homeless you have to basically become a wild animal for survival. You have to hone your instincts almost as close as some wild animal does. It’s hell. In a nutshell, it’s hell. Because you’re always afraid. You’re always afraid of everything. Courtesy of Gray Sunshine © Street News Service
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
PHOTOS & POETRY
Reading My Own Palm The objective Better known as the mission Coming prepared But only this time With instant ammunition Optimism Intense listening And of course Ambition Is a start To capturing dreams Instead of wishing
— By Demetrius Beatty Beatty is a participant in the Free Minds Book Club. To learn more about the book club, see the story on page 1.
Right Over Left His face is gaunt; his skin draped over his cheekbones like curtains over a chair. His gnarled fingers clumsily fumble with the piece of spotted bread in his hands. It’s all he has. His shirt clings tightly to him, creasing at the buttons right over left. With a sudden confidence he breaks a piece of the bread and offers it to the hungry, flapping, fluttering masses — his sacrifice floating in the wind until it meets the hungry mob. He seizes the opportunity, then, to take aim at the slower, weaker ones. And so they eat. It’s all he has.
— Paul Shinkman A Street Sense reader
Rules I pray about everything Before I do anything I see the haters watch me But me I will deceive them I work for God And no one else That’s how I win That’s how you lose I will lose you And follow God I cooperate And I throw haters off I look too good Hate needs to stop There’s too much hate Not enough faith That’s the problem It’s what needs fixed With God’s help It makes sense I got it made I do get paid These haters want what’s not theirs Cause I need to accomplish this Haters follow in my path They’re blocking me from my cash And stealing it But it’s all good ‘Cause God provides what I need It is for my daughter That I care at all This ain’t about me
— Baby Alice
The Shadow of My Father I look just like my father from my head to my eyes A grown man he was never afraid to let me hear his cries. I miss my father why lie, why stint He always said boys do what they can but a man do what he wants. My heart tells me I’m a-see him one day real soon When that day come like a cold wolf in the night I’m a-yell at the moon. I have a lot of anger towards him but that’s the past It was a time when he told me don’t grow up too fast. I didn’t listen then but I can hear him clearly now I refuse to let another C.O. mace me to the ground. I am a man not somebody’s toy I remember my hungry nights crying as a boy. My baby momma said this situation can’t get no harder Seventeen with a baby I’m truly the shadow of my father. — By A.H. A.H. is a participant in the Free Minds Book Club. To learn more about the book club, see the story on page 1.
10 FEATURES
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
My Turn At the Table By Brenda Karyl Lee–Wilson
In Chinatown, Native Texans Lunch at Capital Q Water is my beverage of choice and if tap water doesn’t offend you, it’s free, so that was for me. I added one more item to my selection, and that was a piece of pecan pie. I am a woman with an insatiable sweet tooth. As we sat and ate at one of the elevated-style tables, I tried to recall the names of the people on the political spectrum in the photos hung at random on the wall. It turns out that Daniel and I concur when it comes to the quality of the food and our politics. We sampled selections of each other’s plates except for the pie. It was all mine. And we decided that everything was as it should be with barbecue — no fat, good flavor and fair portions. The prices are reasonable. Sandwiches started at $6 and the plates at $11. They serve some mixed drinks. I spotted the makings for margaritas and a bottle of Black Jack Daniels. They also have Mexican and Texan beer. We were back at the office within our allotted hour and would lunch there again.
Daniel johnson
Daniel Johnson, who is interning with Street Sense for the summer, hails from my home state of Texas. For lunch we decided to put our tastebuds’ knowledge of Texas barbecue to the test and try Capital Q located in Chinatown. Over the years, I had often viewed the outside of the establishment on H Street as I waited for the X2 bus. Until today, I had never been inside. Daniel ordered first as I was having difficulty deciding which of the many meats to choose from. He ordered the brisket plate and selected collard greens and coleslaw as his two sides. His beverage of choice was Texas tea with lots of Brenda enjoys a two-meat barbecue plate of smoked sausage and pork ribs at Chinatown’s Capital Q. sugar. Several other customand pork ribs. For my two sides, I got Texas caviar, a cold, ers had come into this very tiny cafeteria-style restaurant and vinegar-based black-eyed pea mix with fresh cilantro and towere placing their orders while I watched. After that, I knew matoes. The other side dish was smoked fries, which are hot I had to have the two-meat plate. I picked smoked sausage wedge–cut potatoes with the skins on.
A Teen’s Advice to Her Peers: Start Saving By Nakeya Mitchell Over the last school year, Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB) has been fortunate to have a talented intern from the Urban Alliance Foundation working alongside our staff. A recent graduate of Anacostia Senior High School, Nakeya Mitchell is saving for her education in an Individual Development Account (IDA )— a special type of savings account where her contributions earn a 3:1 match — and taking financial education and other courses through Urban Alliance. This fall, Nakeya will be headed for college, but in the meantime, she has this advice to share with other teens who may soon be receiving their first paychecks this summer to get them started down the road to savings. Teens should realize that now is the prime time to start saving. Saving money is important because being without money is a bad thing. Like my grandmother always says, “Having no money and wanting something is very bad, but having money and wanting something is the best thing in the world.” If teens start saving as soon as they get their first paid job, by the time they graduate from high school, they can have enough money to help pay for some of their college expenses. For example, they could use their savings to help pay for items like food, a computer and other college costs. When teens have saved some of their own money, this can also take a lot of stress off of their parents — especially if their parents aren’t sure where they will get the money to pay college tuition. Saving also demonstrates responsibility and proves readiness for the real world. For a teen to get a job and save some of the money he or she earns, it shows initiative and forward thinking.
Here are five helpful tips to help teens start saving: 1) Save your change. When you see a coin on the ground, pick it up and put it in your pocket. Over time, these will add up. 2) Try to save at least half of what you make. For every dollar you earn, put at least 50 cents in your piggy bank. Even these small savings can help you build something to come back to in the future. 3) Make your money work for you. If you have any spare money in your pocket, put it in your bank account. When leftover money is in your pocket it’s not doing anything, but if you put it in your bank account it can grow with interest. 4) Spend your money wisely. Don’t spend your money on just anything, because once you really need something, you might not have enough money to get it. 5) Set savings goals. Once you think of a good goal, take a picture of it or write it down and put it somewhere where you can see it every day. This will remind you to put some money in your bank account to help you reach your goal. In the end, saving is important to providing for a good living. Teens may think that they can start saving as adults, but by that time, it may be too late. By starting early, teens can build good savings habits and let their money grow as they do. We hope Nakeya’s wise words can be helpful to those just getting started with savings. For more information and resources that can help teens improve their financial literacy, visit the resources page on the CAAB website at http://caab. org/resources/resources-about-financial-education.php#youth or call CAAB at 202-419-1440. This regular financial column is presented by Capital Area Asset Building Corp. http://www.caab.org which provides financial counseling, housing and small-business assistance to low-income individuals. Send your questions on this topic or ideas for future topics to saving@cabb.org.
Foundry
United Methodist Church
A Reconciling Congregation
Invites you to join us in worship on Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00 AM
Sign Interpretation at 11:00 Homeless Outreach Hospitality Fridays 9 AM
Foundry United Methodist Church
1500 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 332-4010 www.foundryumc.org
FEATURES & GAMES 11
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
A mystery novel in parts BOOK 4, PART 6
By August Mallory
It is now a chilly, windy and very cold day throughout Seattle, and with the chance of rain in the forecast, looking for a murder suspect won’t be easy for Hammerman and Hoffman. Private eye Russell Jamison is soon to join Hammerman and Hoffman and things are sure to get pretty intense. Hammerman gets a call on his cell phone. “This is Marvin Hammerman, what’s new with you, shotgun rider?” “Well, well, it’s good to hear from you again, old pro,” Jamison said. “Don’t tell me you have another case for me.” “I’m afraid so, Russ. How soon can you be in Seattle?” “Tomorrow evening around 7:30 p.m.” “That will be fine, my new assistant and I will meet you at Sea-Tac International Airport. In the meantime, I will contact the Seattle police and let them know you’re coming.” Hammerman and Hoffman were working the soup kitchens and day shelters to catch wind of any type of information that will lead to Mark Richard’s killer. And from experience, Hammerman knows that homeless men can talk a little too much, given the right persuasion. “Hoffman, let’s head to the Union Gospel Mission,” Hammerman suggests. “We’ll check in and spend the night there to see what we can find out. In the morning, we’ll meet Jamison at the airport.” “Sounds good to me,” says Hoffman. As check-in time approaches, Hammerman and Hoffman are issued shelter IDs to ensure that when they seek services from the shelter they will be in the database. After the worship service and after being served dinner, all of the clients are bedded down for the night. The men are given mats to sleep on and every man must sleep within an arm’s length of the other; very close quarters for very close reasons. As a prayer is said for the men and the lights are turned out, all is quiet; at least for the moment. All of a sudden out of the blue somebody mentions Mark Richards. Hammerman almost cuts in, but he figures it would be best to keep quiet until morning. Morning rolls around, and at 4:45 a.m. the men are awakened and sent on their way. “Hoffman, we need to make an appointment to speak with the director of this shelter. It’s obvious Mark Richards stayed in this shelter. We need to find out how long he stayed here, but let’s check out a few more places. Let’s see if we can find out anything else about Mark Richards.” Meanwhile, as the investigation is now underway, an average-built individual moves through places where he cannot be recognized. He goes through his pockets, and pulls out an ink pen with the name Mark Richards written on it. A very expensive pen. As the suspect sits and looks the pen over, his mind begins to wander. He begins to think of the moment he and Richards made contact. He begins to think of the day that he and Richards were working on day-labor assignments together and how he would get enraged at Richards because Richards was a little more educated than he was. What broke the camel’s back was the fact that Richards refused to give him his lunch when he rudely demanded it. So after work one day he and Richards had words in that alley near Ninth and James streets, and the two men fought. Richards received several stab wounds and later died from his injuries. The suspect focuses back to the present. and he makes his way back to the downtown area. The day grows late and the suspect lurks about to make certain no one around recognizes him. Many of the people downtown, the killer knows who they are, but he suddenly sees two people that he has never seen around this part of the city before. And those two people are Hammerman and Hoffman. So the killer keeps his distance, and tries not to get too close to them. These two may be new guys coming to town to stir up trouble. The killer knows that he cannot get too friendly. He dares not. The killer begins to pick up signals about these two. The two men are asking questions. Hammerman and Hoffman are asking about Mark Richards. They pretend that they are friends of Richards, and they are looking for him. The killer backs away swiftly, goes in the opposite direction, and makes his way to the bus stop. He catches Bus No. 101 to Renton, Washington. Afterward, Hammerman recieves a call on his cell phone. It’s Jamison, and he is now enroute to Seattle. So the two men wrap up their questioning and head to the airport to meet Jamison. Coming next month: Jamison is now on the case along with Hammerman and Hoffman and the real investigations begin. Mark Richard’s killer is caught on video after he steals food and makes off with it. August was the first vendor for Street Sense and and was with the organization for three years. He now lives in Seattle, and is on the editorial board of the street paper there. You can reach August at: carriergroup2009@yahoo.com.
ACROSS
1 Donkey 6 Lovers quarrel 10 Cycles per second 13 Worthless 15 Dog food brand 16 Rent 17 Reason 18 Jetty 19 Abridged (abbr.) 20 Baby powder 22 Find our video here 24 Lager 26 Kitchen appliance 28 Bored 29 Brews 30 __ pro quo 31 Armada 32 New Jersey’s neighbor 33 Sandwich fish 34 Lingerie 35 Water rodent 37 Sneaking a look 41 Heavy freight barge 42 Not love 43 Female deer 44 Facial soap brand 47 Bowl
48 A busboy and a ____ 49 Frees your mind 50 Dupes 51 Lanky 52 Antibody producer 54 Water pitcher 56 Place 57 Dimension 59 Critical study 63 Wing 64 Afloat 65 Appetizer 66 Tint 67 Show for a score 68 Spread
DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Figure North American Indian Free of Roads Sesame Street’s grouch Beheld Acted a part Cook’s garb Meat alternative
10 Mr. Monet 11 Stone 12 _____ Verses, our poetry book 14 Snake like fish 21 Add up 23 A Hindu’s red dot 24 Type of dressing 25 Snaky fish 27 Travel term 29 High naval rank (abbr.) 30 Dock 31 Freedom isn’t this 33 Helen of __ 34 Elizabeth’s nickname 36 Tan color 37 Out of fashion 38 False god graven image 39 Christmas carol 40 Obtain 42 With it 44 Humble 45 Solitary 46 Streak 47 Street Sense intern 48 Nurture 50 Need on the street 51 Food reviewer’s home state 53 Small island 55 Football conference 58 Little bit 60 Deface 61 Imitate 62 Pristine
June’s Answer Key
Marvin Hammerman
July’s Crossword
O R N A T E H E R S A M
F T I O BW R E N I L E L S E D S E E E RD R A E P S Y A U N P RO E N D
G A L A
A T E S L L I S T I E P E R M S E L A G L E E C R E T E U P E D E S AW L A K S A I D E ME T RO A R E A MC A A B A S E P I A N E Y I NG S D E N T S
AWN MB U ON T N G Y P OU R U P E R S R E A S AME D UC S U E R S E
“Home is…” at MLK Library and THEARC Artwork created by c h i l d r e n a n d adults in SOME Inc.’s affordable housing is on display July 3 through July 23 in the 2nd Floor East Hall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 901 G St., NW, and July 4 through August 6 at THEARC (Town Hall Education, Arts & Recreation Campus) at 1901 Mississippi Ave., SE. The paintings, masks and collages are accompanied by participants’ stories as well as posters with information about homelessness. One art show participant commented, “Art brings out hidden talent in individuals and allows
them to explore their inner self.” There will be two receptions to celebrate the artists and their work. The MLK Library reception will be held on July 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature two local storytellers. David Pirtle, board member of Until We’re Home, Inc., will speak about his experience as an artist who struggled with homelessness. The reception at THEARC will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on July 14. D.C. City Council Chairperson Vincent Gray will attend and two local groups will perform: Joyful Noise, an a cappella choir, and the Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project. Refreshments will be served at both receptions. For more information, contact Joni Podschun at (202) 797-0701 ext. 112 or jpodschun@some.org.
S E E S I T E X T E N T
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
12 EDITORIALS
Freedom, from page 1 Atlantic and worked to organize a new form of government. They had in their minds a concept of freedom. (It is important to note that it was not for all people. Women and blacks received their f re e d o m m u c h later. Nonetheless, the forefathers took their respective destinies into their own hands.) Today, we as a nation are supposedly “exporting freedom” to all corners of the globe (and I hope that our leaders don’t forget to retain a sufficient supply for those of us here at home). But I find it difficult to see just how anybody in a foreign land is benefiting from our efforts. The Iraq war, now in its fifth year, begs the question: “Can we force democracy on a nation, or is that a moronic oxymoron?” The fact of the matter is that the insurgents in Iraq, and other people too, don’t want freedom in their midst because of the decadence, debauchery, ignorance and other societal ills that it can create. They prefer the strict regimentation of Muslim fascism. On the other hand, the situation here in the U.S. resembles fascism more and more each day. One aspect of fascism is centralized control of a nation by a small cadre of people. And only 60% of eligible U.S. voters – about 120 million people – voted in 2004, and Bush won with 51% of the vote. The world population is now approaching 7 billion people; so, in essence, just over 60 million American voters, less than 0.01% of the world population, chose the leader of the free world. Relative to the affected population, the world is being ruled by a small cadre of people. And after the election, the voices of protesters and everyday citizens are ignored. But the fascistic elements of our system don’t stop there. Our nation is a world superpower, which pushes us towards militarism. And the present administration says it won’t take the military option off the table (in fairness, Bush just jumped on the bandwagon, although he did take the idea to new heights). There’s
more, though. Mr. Bush caters to, and feeds off, people’s fears of terrorism, which got him into office the second time. While many questions remain to be answered, this much is certain – that our country’s core values have been called into question by the events of the last seven years. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were a direct affront to our religious freedom. The fact that Hamas won democratically in Palestine calls the democratic process into question. The legitimacy of election results has been questionable in various nations including our own. The multi–party governments of various nations are finding it difficult if not impossible to work together. While the common people are crying out for social change in one way or another all over the world, the world is rife with strife. The scene is set for social change of mammoth proportions. Remember, both communist and fascist movements have arisen from circumstances like these. The death of democracy may very well be at hand. There is, however, another way. It would require that people begin to think about the state of their society and stop taking their freedom for granted. They would need to get involved in the social changes that are occurring around them. They would need to remember the words of the late President Gerald Ford: “Any government big enough to do everything for you is also big enough to take everything from you.” These words of the Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke also come to mind: “No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” So let’s not use our freedom to be dumb. Be like America’s forefathers and use your freedom to think, to be creative and to get involved in the workings of your society. Edmund Burke also told us, “It is the nature of greatness not to be exact,” and “Never despair: but if you do, work on in despair.” May his words inspire us in our fight against poverty and homelessness. And may these issues be moved to the political forefront and be comprehensively and completely dealt with, so that even the poor and homeless of our nation can become truly free. Eric Jonathan Sheptock, an advocate for homeless people, lives at Franklin School Shelter. He loves to sing and perform and can be reached at ericsheptock@yahoo.com.
What our REaders are Saying... Street Sense, I have always been a big fan of the paper and the Street Sense program and never pass a vendor by, even if it means buying an issue I already have. I really like the addition of the cryptogram — I just spent 30 minutes poring over one and really enjoyed the challenge. And by the time you get it figured out, the quote really sticks in your mind. Please keep putting them into the paper. Thanks, Andy
Hello, I enjoy reading Street Sense very much but my 13-year-old son REALLY looks forward to it. Carmen Carrera
Black and White By Ivory Wilson smoke. One day, I ran into one of my friends, Victor, and we started talking. A bit into the conversation, he said, “Ivory, I haven’t been seeing you lately since you’ve been hanging out with that white boy.” He went on, “Ivory, man, you’ve been going in them woods way back there to that sandpit at night sometimes. If that white boy’s friends decide to jump you back there, he is not going to save you.” I laughed it off but Victor broke in, “Ivory, do you know that, when that white boy goes in the alley with his white friends, he tells nigger jokes?” I didn’t want to believe him even though I had been hearing rumors around school that some of the white boys were telling those kinds of jokes. But not Tim, I thought. A couple of days later, Tim and I had hen I was 10 years old, I at- plans to go fishing after school. As usual, tended James Bowie Junior he said, “I’m going to smoke. I’ll meet you High School. I recall one day later and we’ll go fishing.” “Okay,” I said. at recess, some of my friends were pushing But, looking up the street after him as he a white boy around calling him “cracker.” left, I wondered about what Victor had told I didn’t like it and, knowing I couldn’t beat me. all of them, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. When Tim and I met up later, he had a Then an idea came to me, friend with him as he rode up and I decided to bribe them on his bike. I was surprised as saying that I would give them it had always been just Tim “...racism ran all a ride on my horse if they and me before. When they got left him alone. While my rampant in closer, I realized I had seen friends were thinking it over, the boy at school. At school, Beaumont, the bell rang and recess was though, when I walked up to Texas, but over. The distraction of the Tim and the boy was around, somehow it bribe and the interference he’d walk away. of the bell had saved the boy didn’t matter” Riding our bikes all togethfrom a beating. er to the sandpit, Tim and I After school that day, I started talking about going was walking home when that to the fair. But not the other white boy rode up on his bike and thanked white boy. He would not say a thing. Even me for my intervention and introduced when we were riding, he’d stay on Tim’s side himself. “My name is Tim,” he said. “What’s making sure not to get close to me. Occayours?” “Ivory,” I returned. And on that day, sionally, he’d give me a hateful glare, which we became friends. I ignored. Every day after that, when school let out, We got to the sandpit and started fishwe would ride our bikes to the sand pits. ing. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with this There we’d swim, fish, or work on our bikes. new intruder in our routine, I walked some It was an unusual friendship as all of Tim’s feet away from them and started fishing friends were white and all of mine were on my own. Eventually, Tim and the other black. Most of our time together was spent white boy started talking and laughing. after our school day, although sometimes In between the laughter, I heard the word at school we would go so far as to exchange “nigger.” So I walked over to them asking, lunches. My lunch often consisted of things “What’s going on?” Tim said, “We were just like a bologna or peanut butter sandwich. telling some jokes.” “Really, tell me one. In contrast, every day Tim’s were packed I love jokes,” I said. To my surprise, Tim with cakes, Jello, soda, candy, and a sand- said, “Nah, Ivory, these are nigger jokes. wich. And every day, he’d share them with You wouldn’t like them.” He went on, “But me. they’re not about you, Ivory. Those other At the time, racism ran rampant in Beau- people are niggers. Not you. You’re my mont, Texas, but somehow it didn’t matter friend.” The other white boy started laughto us; we were friends. Occasionally, when ing. our parents weren’t home, we would let That was the day I really understood each other into our houses so we could black and white. Suddenly I was scared each see how the other lived. By now, Tim for myself, being alone there with them. and I had been friends for almost a year. In a panic, I dropped my fishing pole in Across the street from school was a 7-11. the water. I ran, hopped on my bike, and After school, the white kids would go into started pedaling as fast as I could. Getting the alley behind the store and smoke. Now farther away from them, I could hear the Tim started going almost every day saying, other white boy shouting, “Yeah, run, nig“Ivory, I’ll meet up with you later.” “Okay,” ger, run!” I’d say. It didn’t matter to me as I didn’t I never saw Tim again.
W
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
EDITORIALS 13
Comic relief By Harvey Drake
Remember Vendor Bryan Morris By Kimberly Parker
photo courtesy of kimberly parker
I
Where Are the Children? By Jesse Smith
T
then participating in service projects with SOME (So Others Might Eat), the Church of the Brethren, Elder Buddies, DC Central Kitchen, Community Family Life Services and the N Street Village. The Student Service Committee held weekly meetings and coordinated their own service projects. The students have completed over 1,800 hours of unpaid service to date. When you consider that a paid employed person during the course of a year (excluding vacations) does a little more than 2,000 hours per year, this is a tremendous accomplishment. The president and vice president of the group, Ashley Pierce and Erin Fuller, would make any parent proud. Ashley has an exuberant personality and leadership qualities that display a degree of maturity that many adults I know have yet to achieve. This young lady is just a sophomore at Cardozo, which indicates that she is either 15 or 16 years old. Imagine what this young lady may have accomplished 10 years from now. There were many more students in the program who demonstrated talents like Ashley’s, such as Marie-Louise Ngo Mbock, Consuella Torres, Xiao FengChen and Freddy Possian. There were approximately 60 such young minds in the program, all of whom I can visualize as congressmen and -women, lawyers, community activists or just persons who will have a positive impact on the future of this country. Where are the children? They are in programs like SOLAR and YSOP, and they are participating in church ministries and after-school programs designed to develop student community awareness. These young people and many more like them give one the feeling that compassion for the disadvantaged has returned to America. God bless all these young people, our future leaders. Jesse Smith
here are many stories written about today’s youth that depict the harsh realities of life in the inner cities and, in some cases, tragedies confronting our public schools and institutions of higher learning. We hear of such things as the youth involved in the Columbine incident, the tragedy at Virginia Tech or bum fights. This is news — or at least this is what sells. Yet there are many positive activities with which youth are connected that get very little recognition. Last month, I was invited to attend a celebration of service for some students at the Cardozo Senior High School. Prior to attending this function, my interaction and knowledge of the students was limited to their service at a dinner program for the homeless sponsored by the Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP.) I thought that these were some nice students who were participating in this project as part of a requirement in order to graduate. After all, it is quite unusual today to find young people giving up nights, weekends and videogames to serve a bunch of stereotyped, unruly homeless persons. I was delighted to find that these students are far more than what the eye beholds. I personally apologize to the students for my narrow assumptions and limited insight. While the students’ good work was under the guidance of a number of adults, through the course of the celebration I was introduced to many achievements credited to the students. The students are a part of an organization called SOLAR (Serving Others Through Learning Action and Reflection), which is a service–learning partnership between Cardozo Senior High and the Youth Services Opportunities Project. These students have spent the year learning about the root causes of hunger and homelessness in their classrooms and
wanted to tell everyone at Street Sense more about Bryan Morris, a former Street Sense vendor and also my former husband and father to some beautiful girls: Brie Morris and Paris Morris. (Bryan passed away in May 2006 but his family did not know about it until January 2007, after one relative noticed his name in the homeless Memorial Day listing in Street Sense.) The people that Bryan met while serving the Street Sense community as well as his co-workers didn’t know the Bryan Anthony Morris who was at one time the epitome of what the U.S. Marine Corps represents, a tender, thoughtful husband and adoring, silly father. Bryan was also a man with many gifts. He was an artist, poet (as you discovered) and could do wonders with numbers — an innate gift he passed on to our daughter Paris. Although Bryan and I lost touch after I moved with our daughters out of the D.C. metropolitan area, he was never far from our thoughts and prayers. I wish he could’ve known that our eldest daughter Brie is now a freshman at Johnson and Wales University at the age of 17, pursuing her passion in the culinary arts field, working at a five-star restaurant in Washington for her second summer, and looking amazingly so much like her Dad it’s uncanny. Paris, our 14-year-old, looks much like him also. He didn’t get a chance to see how well her mind wraps itself around numbers, words and the sciences much like he did as a student at Hines and Eastern there in the D.C. area. Paris rarely gets any grade below a B+ and she plays the saxophone. The girls’ love of music comes from both of us, but perhaps more so Bryan because when we met in 1988 at Camp Lejeune I used to tease him that I heard his car and his go-go music before I saw him. That car used to dance. To those who knew and perhaps miss Bryan, I thank you on behalf of his daughters Brie Morris and Paris Nico Morris. I ask you to pray for his spirit, that the beauty of it will forever touch those who came in contact with the man who was indeed my “one and only first love,” and I don’t regret a thing.
If you are homeless, formerly homeless or just in tune with poverty issues, your thoughts and editorials are welcome. Please e-mail content to info@streetsense.org or mail it to 1317 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005.
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
14 STREET SENSE NEWS
VendorNotes
family approximately two months ago and has used his connections to attract the manager of the store to offer him a position. He also intends to sell the paper when he is not working at the store. These two gentlemen set an example we hope many other vendors will follow. Congratulations, guys, we are very proud of you.
Herman Lee Mayse
Congratulations Vendors Herman Lee Mayse and James Davis have recently become employed with established organizations. Lee Mayse secured a position as an assistant in the Food and Nutrition Services Department with the George Washington University Hospital. This is a part–time position with benefits. Lee says the position is perfect as his medical condition does not allow him to work 40 hours per week. He said it allows him to pace himself and to concentrate on improving his health. His appearance is certainly a testimony to that fact. He says he will still sell Street Sense when time is available. That idea is right in line with our Vendor Code of Conduct. Another vendor, James Davis, is now working for Ritz Camera. James recently returned to the Street Sense
From the Director’s Desk
By Jesse Smith
Muriel Dixon
Blessings Abound Vendor Muriel Dixon took the initiative to pursue the Goodwill Training Program to get a better job. She got it. She pressed forward to get a better place. She got it. And she prayed to get a car. You guessed it, she has it. Someone who will remain nameless for this issue took note of all the hard work and life changes Muriel had made and presented her with a car with one condition, and that was that she get new
tires and tags. The last time I spoke to Muriel she was on her way to the DMV. I don’t know about you, but I am going to double up on my prayers. Poetry Launch Street Sense held a book launch on June 24 for its poetry book “Street Verses” at the coffeehouse Busboys and Poets. We had a grand time. Brenda Karyl Lee–Wilson, James Davis, Conrad Cheek Jr. and I had the opportunity to present some of the poems in the book. I recited two creations authored by David Harris. They were “What I want for Christmas” and “Pride.” The best presentation in my estimation was by Conrad Cheek Jr. for his poem “The Upper Echelon of the Homeless.” This poem not only had to be heard but the visual experience was something to behold. His use of the term “Street Sense” drove home the enormous talent that this man possesses. In addition to the poetry, clips from the first episode of Street Sense TV were presented by our own star–in– residence, Martin Walker. I can say that they are extremely well–done. Watch out Sundance Film Festival, Street Sense TV is on the horizon. Welcome We are truly fortunate to have a wonderful replacement editor for Charles Jackson. Her name is Kaukab Smith, nicknamed Koki. She has a pleasing personality and will make a great fit with Street Sense. Again welcome, Kaukab, we hope your stay will be a long and pleasant one.
Get Twice as Much Street Sense Each Month Delivered Right to Your Door! Do you want to continue to support Street Sense throughout the year? Order a subscription today. Not only will you receive 24 issues packed with all our latest news, poetry and photography, you will also help raise awareness about poverty in the D.C. area. ___ YES! I want to subscribe to Street Sense for just $40 a year for 24 issues. ___ YES! I want to give half of the cost of a subscription to my favorite vendor: ____________ Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________ State:_______________ Zip: ______________ Phone: ___________________________________ Email: ________________________________ Please make checks payable to Street Sense. Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005. Thanks for your support!
Stepping Up As some of you might have noticed — based on our changed masthead on page 2 and the lack of an editor’s column in last issue — the first full–time editor at Street Sense, Charles Jackson, left after a brief two months. And as his exit was with about two hours’ warning, we obviously had no replacement lined up, and were operating without a full– time editor for the last month. Consequently, the past few weeks have been rather crazy around the Street Sense office and inside my head as well. But thanks to the help of all our wonderful volunteers and the outstanding Street Sense board of directors, we were able to get through it all, and I still have (most of) my sanity in place. Despite the nuttiness, I think Charles’ departure is for the better, and the timing — in retrospect — could not have been more perfect. On Friday, June 23, we hired a new editor, Kaukab “Koki” Smith, who has some wonderful ideas and great energy and thankfully could start right away. And on Sunday, June 24, we had a thank you reception for our volunteers and top donors. The event also promoted our new poetry book “Street Verses” and included some powerful readings from vendors. While the reception was in honor of the support over the last year, it really was appropriate to close out the last month when every volunteer and board member really stepped up in all ways. The Monday after Charles left, I sent an e-mail around to all the volunteers letting them know, and I got 22 responses from volunteers offering to help out in any way, from rewriting stories to helping to organize the office. Below is just one that illustrates our volunteers’ dedication: So sorry to hear the news! That’s pretty unbelievable. Hang in there! I’m at a crunch time with work, but let me know if I can help and I’ll try to get it done. Cheers, Jo. In fact, in my e-mail, I mentioned that we needed a last book review done, and five different people offered to review it, including one who already read the book. Also, Street Sense could not have come out successfully these past two issues without the help of our fabulous summer intern Daniel Johnson. Thankfully, he started helping out at Street Sense two weeks before his internship began. This was critical as he got to meet Charles and see what we are about before being thrown into writing a last-minute article, laying out half the paper and making all final editing changes. I could personally have not made it through this last month without the support of the dedicated Street Sense board of directors. They offered up their support and shared stories of their experience with employees jumping ship at the last minute. I appreciated comments like, “I would work for you and wouldn’t mind you being my boss,” and “It clearly wasn’t meant to be and perhaps the absolutely most perfect person is now waiting in the wings.” Board member and co–founder Ted Henson was a lifesaver, helping with coordinating the editing process for the June 15 issue. Board member John Snellgrove really stepped up to help logistically and pull off the thank you reception and poetry event. And all the board members really came through in force with the financial support for the thank you reception and future operations. And obviously I would be remiss not to mention the help and encouragement from Vendor Manager Jesse Smith. Though this last month included a few rough days with him as well, we have pulled through it all and the organization and Jesse are looking to be much better off for it. With this large network of support, Street Sense has made it through a rough month and is finally on the up and up. And I am finally looking forward to see what the next few weeks will hold. As our Board President Robert Egger told me when everything seemed bleak for Street Sense a few weeks ago: “It’ll be a rough climb, but if we work together we can climb out of this ditch and build an even stronger Street Sense.” And, indeed, with our dedicated volunteers, staff and board, a stronger Street Sense is where we are.
FEATURES 15 SERVICE PROVIDERS & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
Community Service Index WASHINGTON, D.C. SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 928 5th Street, NW (202) 783-6651 www.calvaryservices.org Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745-7118 www.missiondc.org CCNV (Men and Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393-1909 users.erols.com/ccnv/ Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232-7356 www.communityofhopedc.org DC Village (Family) 2-A DC Village Lane, SW (202) 561-8090 www.dccfh.org/DCVillage.html Franklin School (Men) 13th and K streets, NW (202) 638-7424 Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842-1731 www.grm.org John Young Center (Women) 117 D Street, NW (202) 639-8469 http://www.ccs-dc.org/find/services/ La Casa Bilingual Shelter (Men) 1436 Irving Street, NW (202) 673-3592 N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939-2060 www.nstreetvillage.org 801 East, St. Elizabeth Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561-4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men) 1355-57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832-2359 Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 Mitch Snyder Place, NW (202) 639-8093
FOOD Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW (202) 232-3066 www.stmargaretsdc.org/charliesplace Church of the Pilgrims 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387-6612 www.churchofthepilgrims.org Dinner Program for Homeless Women AND the “9:30 Club” Breakfast 309 E Street, NW (202) 737-9311 www.dphw.org Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842-1112
Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269-2277 www.foodandfriends.org Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452-8926 www.miriamskitchen.org The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW (202) 347-2635 http://www.epiphanydc.org/ministry/ welcometbl.htm
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
OUTREACH CENTERS Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265-2400 AND 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561-8587 www.breadforthecity.org food pantry, clothing, legal and social services, medical clinic Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 364-1419 www.cchfp.org housing, medical and psych care, substance abuse and job counseling Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939-2060 http://www.nstreetvillage.org meals, hygiene, laundry, social activities, substance abuse treatment Green Door (202) 464-9200 1221 Taylor Street NW www.greendoor.org housing, job training, supportive mental health services Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675-9050 www.friendshiphouse.net counseling and mentoring, education, youth services, clothing Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338-8301 www.georgetownministrycenter.org laundry, counseling, psych care Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW (202) 328-6608
Shelter Hotline: 1-800-535-7252
www.marthastable.org dinner, education, recreation, clothing, child and family services Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW (202) 682-1005 http://www.ccdsd.org/howorwc.php hygiene, laundry, lunch, phone and mail, clothing, social activities Sasha Bruce Youthwork 741 8th Street, SE (202) 675-9340 www.sashabruce.org counseling, housing, family services So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW (202) 797-8806 www.some.org lunch, medical and dental, job and housing counseling
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Bright Beginnings Inc. 128 M Street NW, Suite 150 Washington DC 20001 (202) 842-9090 www.brightbeginningsinc.org Child care, family services Catholic Community Services of D.C. 924 G Street, NW (202) 772-4300 www.ccs-dc.org umbrella for a variety of services D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW (202) 347-8870 www.dccfh.org housing, substance abuse treatment, employment assistance Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW (202) 347-0511 www.cflsdc.org housing, job and substance abuse counseling, clothes closet Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332-4010 www.foundryumc.org ESL, lunch, clothing, IDs Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332-2874 http://www.ccs-dc.org/find/services/ meals, hygiene, laundry, clothing JHP, Inc. 1526 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 544-9126 www.jobshavepriority.org training and employment Jubilee Jobs 1640 Columbia Road, NW (202) 667-8970 www.jubileejobs.org job preparation and placement National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 P Street, NW (202) 462-4822 www.nationalhomeless.org activists, speakers bureau available
Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE , AND 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202) 889-7702 www.samaritanministry.org HIV support, employment, drug/alcohol addiction, health care St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 1514 15th Street, NW (202) 667-4394 http://stlukesdc.edow.org food, counseling St. Matthew’s Cathedral 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW (202) 347-3215 ext. 552 breakfast, clothing, hygiene Travelers Aid, Union Station 50 Mass. Avenue, NE (202) 371-1937 www.travelersaid.org/ta/dc.html national emergency travel assistance Wash. Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U Street, NW (202) 328-5500 www.legalclinic.org legal services
MARYLAND SHELTER Comm. Ministry of Montgomery Co. 114 W. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville (301) 762-8682 www.communityministrymc.org The Samaritan Group P.O. Box 934, Chestertown (443) 480-3564 Warm Night Shelter 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499-2319 www.cmpgc.org
FOOD Bethesda Cares 7728 Woodmont Church, Bethesda (301) 907-9244 www.bethesdacares.com Community Place Café 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499-2319 www.cmpgc.org Manna Food Center 614-618 Lofstrand Lane, Rockville (301) 424-1130 www.mannafood.org
MEDICAL RESOURCES Community Clinic, Inc. 8210 Colonial Lane, Silver Spring (301) 585-1250 www.cciweb.org Mobile Medical Care, Inc. 9309 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda (301) 493-8553 www.mobilemedicalcare.org
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Catholic Charities, Maryland 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring (301) 942-1790 www.catholiccharitiesdc.org
shelter, substance abuse treatment, variety of other services Mission of Love 6180 Old Central Avenue Capitol Heights (301) 333-4440 www.molinc.org life skills classes, clothing, housewares Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless 600-B East Gude Drive, Rockville (301) 217-0314 www.mcch.net emergency shelter, transitional housing and supportive services
VIRGINIA SHELTER Alexandria Community Shelter 2355 B Mill Road, Alexandria (703) 838-4239 Carpenter’s Shelter 930 N. Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548-7500 www.carpentersshelter.org Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless 3103 Ninth Road North, Arlington (703) 525-7177 www.aachhomeless.org
FOOD Alive, Inc. 2723 King Street, Alexandria (703) 836-2723 www.alive-inc.org Our Daily Bread 10777 Main Street, Ste. 320, Fairfax (703) 273-8829 www.our-daily-bread.org
MEDICAL RESOURCES Arlington Free Clinic 3833 N Fairfax Drive, #400, Arlington (703) 979-1400 www.arlingtonfreeclinic.org
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Abundant Life Christian Outreach, 5154 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria (703) 823-4100 www.anchor-of-hope.net food, clothing, youth development and medicines David’s Place Day Shelter 930 North Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548-7500 www.carpentersshelter.org laundry, shower, workshops, hypothermia shelter Legal Services of Northern Virginia 6066 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 500 (703) 778-6800 www.lsnv.org civil legal services Samaritan Ministry 2924 Columbia Pike, Arlington (703) 271-0938 www.samaritanministry.com social services, employment services, HIV/AIDS services
Street Sense . July 1-15, 2007
PHOTO FINISH
Hidden Talents of the Inner Self
Artwork created by children and adults in SOME Inc.’s affordable housing is on display this summer. For more information, see “Home is...” on page 11.
VENDOR PROFILE
George Williams
George Williams was born in Philadelphia on November 21, 1970, spent his childhood in New York City, and as a young adult moved to upstate New York ( Johnstown) where he earned a general educational development (GED) diploma. By 1990 George had received an associate degree in civil engineering from Queensborough Community College — The City University of New York. Because he had the forethought to specialize in construction inspection and highway reconstruction, George was hired upon graduation by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for the State of New York, where he worked for the next two years. George stated that for some time his life was great. He had a good job and was making many strides toward a stable existence, but discord entered his personal relationship and triggered the beginnings of a life change. When his significant other abandoned him and took his child in the process, George entered into a severe state of depression and began wandering aimlessly through the streets of New York. In his mind he no longer had a family or support system that could save him from living on the streets and resorting to acts that he said were totally contrary to his moral character. Unbeknownst to George, his family had been diligently searching for him for some time. Their effort bore fruit when they found him in New York at a shelter for homeless men. After a short reunion, George moved to Richmond, Va., with his mother. During his stay in Richmond, he persevered to obtain a commercial driver’s learner’s license and worked for a temporary employment agency. The job prospects in the Richmond area were poor, so George decided to come to the District in search of better opportunities. George says he is currently seeking a job driving a tractor trailer. In fact, he has the DOT physical that is good for two years. How did you become homeless? The mother of my child abandoned me and took our child with her. The event propelled me into a state of severe depression that was very hard to overcome. Why do you sell Street Sense? This paper and what they are doing is something I strongly believe in. The public needs to hear what the homeless and the poor have to say. Also, I love to talk to people.
StreetFact In Arlington County, nearly three out of every four adults in homeless families have jobs but can’t afford housing. (See the story on page 1 for details.) Source: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
July 1 - 15, 2007 • Volume 4 • Issue 14
Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Mail To:
Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope to be driving tractor trailers or to be an instructor in the transportation industry, specifically in the area of commercial driver’s license training. Favorite music? R&B, classic rock, and jazz. Favorite food? I like most Italian dishes, all pasta dishes. Favorite movie? “Gladiator” starring Russell Crowe. Favorite book? “Makes Me Wanna Holler” by Nathan McCall.
George reminds customers to only buy from badged vendors and not to give to those panhandling with one paper.
Poetry Success Thanks to all the volunteers, donors and guests who attended the Poetry Book Launch Party on June 24 at Busboys and Poets. And a special thanks to all the vendors who read poetry. If you want to catch a glimpse of the readings, you can visit http://www.streetsense.tv/poetry.htm. And if you want to order a copy of the newly released poetry book, “Street Verses,” just go online to www.streetsense.org and order one today for $12.50 including shipping.
Interested in a subscription? Go to page 14 for more information.