07 06 2011 by Street Sense Media

Volume 8: Issue 17 July 6 - July 19, 2011

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The War Comes Home

New Statistics show Post 9/11 Vets Are Now Fighting Homelessness Page 4

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.

New programs increase options for homeless veterans

Night of Hope gives fleeting relief to homeless

ADDRESS 1317 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 PHONE (202) 347 - 2006 FAX (202) 347 - 2166 E-MAIL info@streetsense.org WEB streetsense.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lisa Estrada, Ted Henson, Brad Scriber, Michael Stoops, Manas Mohapatra, Sommer Mathis, Kristal Dekleer, Robin Heller, Jeffery McNeil, Yebegashet Alemayehn ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kristal DeKleer

Homeless cancer patients struggle with lack of support

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Personal stories add to the push for the DREAM Act Read all stories online at streetsense.org

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Vendor recalls visiting a mental hospital Nina the Detective Falls for the Wrong Man

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Exploring social activism within the media

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Jazz insiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book sheds light on Billy Taylor and Duke Ellington Lisa Gillespie says goodbye

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mary Otto MANAGING EDITOR/NEW MEDIA DIRECTOR Lisa V. Gillespie VENDOR AND VOLUNTEER MANAGER Robert Weaver INTERNS Zachary Davidson, Erin Durkin, Mary Clare Fischer, Ashley Hemmy, Hannah Traverse VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Rhonda Brown, Margaret Chapman, Tracie Ching, James Clarke, Nikki Conyers, Bobby Corrigan, Irene Costigan, Sara Dimmitt, Joe Duffy, Lilly Dymond, Ashley Edwards, Garrett Epps, Rachel Estabrook, Sarah Ficenec, Andrew Gena, Steve Gilberg, Jane Goforth, Jonah Goodman, Roberta Haber, Elia Herman, Cherilyn Hansen, Adam Kampe, Trisha Knisely, Vicki Ann Lancaster, Elle Leech-Black, Lisa Leona, Sean Lishansky, Elsie Oldaker, Katinka Podmaniczky, Mike Plunkett, Willie Schatz, Jesse Smith, Lilly Smith, Mandy Toomey, Brett Topping, Melissa Hough, Kate Sheppard, Marian Wiseman, Kelly Stellrecht, Jane Cave VENDORS Michael Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Jake Ashford, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Kenneth Belkosky, Tommy Bennett, Reginald Black, Deana Black, Harmon Bracey, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Floarea Caldaras, Conrad Cheek, Theresa Corbino, Avram Cornel, Anthony Crawford, Kwayera Dakari, Louise Davenport, James Davis, Charles Davis, Devon Dawkins, Michael Dawson, Chino Dean, Daivd Denny, Richardo Dickerson, Alvin Dixon El, Charles Eatmon, Richard Emden, Pieus Ennels, Betty Everett, Joshua Faison, Larry Garner, R. George, David Ger, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Dwight Harris, Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Shakaye Henry, Derian Hickman, Vennie Hill, Anne Holloway, Phillip Howard, James Hughes, Patricia Jefferson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Mark Jones, Evanson Kamau, Mike Leach, Michael Lyons, Johnnie Malloy, Kina Mathis, John C. Matthews, Authertimer Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Robert McGray, Marvin McFadden, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffrey McNeil, Kenneth Middleton, Gary Minter, L. Morrow, Jai Morton, Saleem Muhammad, Tyrone Murray, Darryl Neal, Charles Nelson, James Nelson, Sammy Ngatiri, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Douglas Pangburn, Franklin Payne, Michael Pennycook, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Michael Reardon, Chris Shaw, Veda Simpson, J. Simpson, Patty Smith, Gwynette Smith, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, Leroy Sturdevant, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Paul Taylor, Archie Thomas, Larissa Thompson, Carl Turner, Jacqueline Turner, Joseph Walker, Martin Walker, Robert Warren, Terry Warren, Lawless Watson, Paul Watson, Wendell Williams, Edna Williams, Sherle Williams, Susan Wilshusen, Ivory Wilson, Mark Wolf, Charles Woods, Tina Wright

STREET SENSE July 6 - July 19, 2011

NEWS

Oregon Coalition Suggests Tent City for Homeless Neighbors in Need, an organization based in Coos Bay, Ore., is in talks with local churches to construct temporary tent cities for the town’s homeless. Participating churches would each provide space for the tent community, which would be free of drugs and alcohol, for a few months at a time. The group said regional homeless shelters do not fulfill the needs of the homeless as families are often forced to separate in order to gain access to these locations. Coos Bay city officials said Neighbors in Need must get a permit in order to go through with the idea and might face public objections as well.

Homeless Use Twitter, New Website to Find Relief After providing tips to the homeless through a Twitter username, Mark Horvath, who used to live on the streets himself, created WeAreVisible.com, a website that offers tutorials on how to use social networks such as Twitter. Since free wireless connections and computers are now easily accessible,

the homeless are beginning to turn to the virtual world for help. Many homeless people have found housing through tweeting while others provide reviews of local shelters and related agencies. Horvath hopes to eventually present “virtual case management” through his site where those in need can directly contact organizations in their area.

NYC Homeless Man Asks One Million People for Money Chris Coon, a homeless panhandler in New York, has embarked on an experiment in which he asks 1 million people for $1. Coon is documenting the project on his website, AskAMillion.com, which he created after receiving a laptop from a woman who had heard about the experiment. Though he’s interested in seeing how people respond, even jotting down gender and ethnicity, Coon has a more important reason for beginning this process: his two daughters. As of June 24, Coon has raised $1,205 over a span of about two months. He accepts donations personally and over PayPal.

Website Pairs Possible Owners and Homeless Dogs Those searching for a new dog can upload their photos to a website called Doggelganger, which matches human faces to the faces of homeless dogs using “Human to Canine Pairing Software.” Applicants must be looking straight at the camera with a blank look in their photos. Hats, sunglasses and blurry shots are prohibited. Doggelganger is part of the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive, a campaign to raise awareness of stray dogs. The organization has raised $110,000 out of their $160,000 goal.

Homeless Are the Newest Group to Go Green The homeless community in Huntington, W. Va., has banded together to form the Green Team, a group that cleans up the city while learning job skills that could lead to future employment. Started by the Cabell-Huntington Coalition for the Homeless, the Green Team works at tasks such as watering the hundreds of flowers downtown. Members of the Green Team are paid

THE STORY OF STREET SENSE Street Sense began in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions with the idea to start a street paper in Washington, D.C. They saw it as a means of empowering the area’s poor and homeless and decided the paper would cover homelessness and other social issues. After bringing together a core of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003, printing 5,000 copies. About a dozen vendors sold the first issue of the paper. For the next three years, it was

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

65%

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

for their work as it saves money for the city to contract out necessary beautification. Families and businesses in the area sponsor the Green Team’s efforts.

Homeless Shelter Gets Hawaiian Treat Those at Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s Residential Program Center in Arlington, Va., on June 30 were given a special performance by an award-winning hula dancing group. The local shelter was one of the stops on The ‘Ōpio of Nā Wai Ola Hula Performance and Leadership Team’s “Spread a Little Aloha” tour. Their mission is to make the days of their viewers across the country a little bit better. At this shelter, the group was successful; residents were delighted with the performance, and some even tried to learn the dance themselves. Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s Residential Program Center specializes in substance abuse programs but also offers services for single, homeless adults. Compiled by Mary Clare Fischer

Vendor Code of Conduct

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

35% Supports costs

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

Los Angeles has 8,200 homeless veterans, the largest population in the nation.

Coming Home to Homelessness Despite government efforts, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans struggle after active duty

By Ashley Hemmy Editorial Intern They live on the streets. They sleep on cardboard mattresses on the concrete sidewalk. They flood D.C.’s soup kitchens and shelters. The help they need is not enough, doesn’t exist or has not found them yet. They are the men and women who served this country in times of crisis and war. They are American veterans who are homeless. Some come from the ranks of troops who served in Vietnam. But thousands of younger veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan now also find themselves coping with homelessness. “It just isn’t fair,” said Mike, a homeless veteran who sleeps on a street near Capitol Hill and refuses to give his last name. “I take care of this country but no one can take care of me.” Mike, 65, said he served in Vietnam for two years before coming home to a world that had completely changed to him. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, Mike said he couldn’t keep his job in construction. He lost his home, and shelters had just too many people or too much noise to handle. “I don’t got many choices,” he said. Veterans are disproportionately represented among the homeless. They comprise an estimated 23 percent of the homeless population, while they are just 9 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. At that rate, an estimated 107,000 veterans are homeless any given night. Over the past three years, 14,406 veterans who served in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom have experienced homelessness, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. While veterans from these two wars make up only 5 percent of the overall homeless population, the number is still growing, according to officials. It is a widely accepted view in America that those who served this country

should be taken care of and not end up on the streets. And while the number of homeless veterans remains high, progress has been made in recent years in getting homeless veterans the help they need. “This nation has an obligation to anyone homeless,” said Pete Dougherty, the associate executive director of the homeless veterans initiative office in the Department of Veteran Affairs. “But when the men and women in uniforms show up in the ranks of homelessness, it’s a serious issue.” The total number of homeless veterans has decreased more than 50 percent in the past six years, said Randy Brown, director of communications for the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans. “At times of war, people are more aware of veteran issues,” Brown said. “Veterans are currently coming back and seeking homeless shelters, so it’s more in the public eye.” As part of President Obama’s Plan to End Homelessness, which was released a year ago, the federal government spelled out the goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015. The plan grew out of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness’Opening Doors: The Federal Strategic Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness. In June, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Labor announced new efforts to employ and house homeless veterans. One $5 million program provides incentives to employers to create jobs for as many as 3,000 homeless veterans as part of the Department of Labor’s Urban and Non-Urban Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP). In a push to expand housing options for veterans making the transition from homelessness to housing, the Department of Veterans Affairs will be adding 5,000 beds to the 15,000 transitional shelter beds it already provides in programs around the country. Pe r m a n e n t h o u s i n g a n d c a s e management for 676 veterans in 18 states will be funded by $5.4 million given by the Department of Housing and

Urban Development. This is the latest installment of the H U D ’s v o u c h e r based program, in which housing authorities assign voucher assistance to housing units. Challenges with the voucher program persist, according to Vietnam veteran Barron Hall, a Street Sense vendor. After waiting nearly 20 years for a HUD rent-subsidy voucher, Hall got housing through the Section 8 program on June 1, 2010. He is glad to have housing, but his experiences living in his subsidized apartment have been less than ideal. He lives in a troubled neighborhood and often falls asleep to sounds of gun shots and violence. For a veteran suffering from both PTSD and schizophrenia, the experience can be terrifying. “It brings back old problems,” he said. “These neighborhoods are worse than some of the combat areas we fought in.” Dougherty knows that such problems can occur and is working with local housing authorities to assist veterans in finding safe housing to rent with their vouchers. “Veterans will have a better understanding of what their rights and obligations are using these vouchers,” Dougherty said An additional $60 million has been set aside to help the veterans’ families.

Homelessness can be prevented with the right tools, Dougherty said. “The secret to success is not just keeping the problem at bay,” he said. “It’s reducing and eliminating the problem.” In addition, the V.A. is working to expand case management and treatment programs, so veterans can easily seek the help they need. It’s a collaborative effort—it takes the V.A. Office, the Department of Labor, HUD, the rest of the government and every day, American people to recognize the problem and to do something about it. “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a nation and a national effort to end homelessness,” Dougherty said.

The nation has an obligation to anyone homeless. But when the men and women in uniforms show up in the ranks of homelessness, it’s a serious issue. -Pete Dougherty, the associate executive director of the homeless veterans initiative office in the Department of Veteran Affairs

STREET SENSE July 6 - 19, 2011

On any given day in the District there are 14,000 homeless individuals.

Local

Providing Nine Years of Hope By Brett Mohar Volunteer Reporter

Many of Washington’s homeless gathered in McPherson Square on Saturday, June 25, for an annual gift of comfort. The occasion was Night of Hope, an effort by volunteers from several suburban churches to provide warm meals, cold drinks, showers, haircuts and a variety of other small kindnesses. Now in its ninth year, Night of Hope was originally organized by members of the Church of the Nazarene in Woodbridge, Va., but since then, three other area churches, Lion of Judah Church in Lanham, Maryland, Metropolitan Baptist Church in D.C. and the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfax, have joined the effort. The event has expanded in scope over the years. This year, live music, shoes and even manicures for both men and women were offered. “We wanted to do something to help the homeless so we started by giving clothes and food,” said Carolyn Thompson, mercy ministries coordinator at the Church of the Nazarene. “It started as a small event and just grew and grew and grew.” In addition to organizing the Night of Hope, volunteers from the Church of the Nazarene also hand out clothes and gifts to people in need on the last Saturday of every month, serving more than a hundred people each time. Despite efforts to provide some comfort, the challenges that are often part of homelessness, including the lack of jobs and health coverage, persist. “We just need work,” said Peter Falls, a D.C. resident who has been on the streets for the last three months. “The light at the tunnel is there, but sometimes it’s hard to see through the poverty. We need to see the light.” Unfortunately, the looming effects of the recession are not just felt by the homeless. “The state of the economy has created even more needs for the homeless, here in D.C. and everywhere else, and that has really hindered our resources,” said Thompson. On top of funding, organizing the annual event has increasingly taken more

Above, volunteer Carol Housden gives participant Michael Owens a shave and haircut. Below, Church of the Nazarene volunteer Bernie Ammom chats with Francine Simms while handing out food. COURTESY OF BRETT MOHAR

and more time as support and donations from the public continue to decline. “We start preparing for the event in December, getting permits and cutting through the red tape,” said Thompson. “Last year we had a big fundraiser that gave us a little cushion but because of [a lack of] funding, we might not be able to do it again next year.” All too often homelessness is either ignored or downplayed by the general public but the problem, particularly among families, is only getting bigger. The people of Washington need “to get more involved with the homeless because at times, they have a tendency not to care,” said Thompson. “Sometimes people tend to ignore it and they think that if they ignore it, then it doesn’t exist.” When the volunteers arrived, homeless participants were quick to lend a hand. “A lot of them help by unloading the trucks and passing out flyers,” said Thompson. “They are a really big help because they know it’s for them.” With so many obstacles that must be overcome to alleviate the homeless epidemic in D.C., Thompson says the best way to help is to donate. “We know what needs to be done and we know what we

can do, we just need the funding to do it. Every cent that we receive goes directly to the mission.” Despite the formidable challenges they face, neither the homeless participants nor the volunteers were ready to give up the fight. “People think that if you take enough away from them that they will

We’re all just trying to stay out of jail and get off the streets.

-Peter Falls, a homeless D.C. resident

leave, but we’re not going to let that happen,” said Thompson. Aside from all the services offered, the event provided a little proof that people do care and that being homeless is not a life sentence. Nearly all the homeless people in attendance said they felt their situation was temporary and merely a means to an end. “There are some decent [homeless)] people and some really messed up ones and some that have just fell on hard times,” said Falls. “A lot of people not living out here have a lot more problems than us. We’re all just trying to stay out of jail and get off the streets.”

Cancer is responsible for nearly 1 in 4 deaths in the U.S. every year.

Beating Cancer on a Budget They don’t have a stable place for a caregiver to visit. Caregivers do visit shelters, but it’s rare... there’s no privacy in the shelter.

By Hannah Traverse Editorial Intern A cancer diagnosis is never welcome. And for poor cancer patients, often uninsured or underinsured, feeling sick is the least of their worries. “For some people, the cancer diagnosis is not their biggest issue,” said Chelsea Phelps, an employee at the American Cancer Society and George Washington Cancer Institute who provides healthcare consultations as a patient navigator. “The bigger issues are more like, ‘How am I going to feed my kids? How am I going to pay my rent? Will I be able to keep my job?’” Phelps is one of 20 patient navigators throughout the District who work with cancer patients at some 38 different sites. Their goal is to reduce the barriers to treatment these individuals may face. Navigators work with insurance companies and can join patients at their appointments to help explain procedures and terms. When working with a lowincome patient, a navigator’s most important job might be doing something as simple, but as essential, as making sure the patient has reliable transportation to his or her appointments. “If you live in Ward 7 or Ward 8, you might have to take two or three buses to get to your treatment,” said Paul Klintworth, project manager at the GW Cancer Institute. “After treatments you might be feeling nauseous or you might be feeling other symptoms, like fatigue… getting on a bus could be very disquieting.” The GW Cancer Institute, among other D.C. cancer treatment facilities, provides Metro cards and bus tokens to poor patients, as well as taxi vouchers for disadvantaged patients who react more severely to treatments. And the D.C. Cancer Consortium, a nonprofit organization that works to improve cancer treatment and reduce cancer rates in the District, produces a guide in both Spanish and English, with more than 20 pages of information on how to get to various cancer treatment facilities by Metro and bus, as well as how to access car and shuttle services. With no cancer treatment facilities east of the Anacostia River, this guide is an

The rate of cancer was higher for most types of male cancers in DC compared to national rate, especially for prostate cancer, where DC numbers outstripped the national rate by at least 30. invaluable tool for many D.C. residents. Another complication in treating impoverished and homeless cancer patients is trying to contact them. Patient navigators make sure their clients are aware of their eligibility for free cell phone programs. Also, earlier this year, the D.C. Cancer Consortium partnered with the American Cancer Society and the GW Cancer Institute to launch the Cancer Answers Help Line. Now, even if doctors’ offices cannot contact their patients, individuals and their caregivers have the option of calling the Help Line if they have any questions about cancer treatments. Not having a phone is not the only obstacle to contacting homeless or uninsured cancer patients: many of these patients have never had a primary care physician responsible for their medical records. That forces many such patients to inadvertently let serious medical problems linger. “It’s very common for homeless or low-income patients to present themselves with a much later stage cancer,” said Phelps. “They don’t address what’s going on in their body until it’s really bad, until it’s causing them pain.” In addition to money and transporta-

tion concerns, many homeless patients are reluctant to deal with the side effects of cancer treatments without having their own bed to go home to. “They don’t have a stable place for a caregiver to visit,” said Cynthia Washington, a Howard University Hospital Department of Social Work employee. “Caregivers do visit shelters, but it’s rare…there’s no privacy in the shelter.” Washington said she would like to see more places like Christ House, a facility in Columbia Heights that provides beds and basic medical care for homeless D.C. residents undergoing treatment for such ailments as cancer, HIV/ AIDS, diabetes and kidney failure. The average length of stay for a patient at Christ House is 35 days, but some stay for more than a year. Christ House has full-time case managers, a dietitian, and a 24-hour nursing staff. Its cancer patients have a steady address, someone to keep track of their chemo and radiation appointments, and transportation to treatment. “Most people who have cancer have a home and a family to take care of them,” said David Inoue, the Christ House administrative director. “We provide that.”

-Cynthia Washington, a Howard University Hospital Department of Social Work employee

As the only such facility in the District, however, Christ House has a limited number of beds. Part of the D.C. Cancer Consortium’s mission is to allow more individuals to detect their cancers before they require 24-hour care. Fortunately, many opportunities exist throughout the city for low-income individuals to receive free cancer screenings. For example, the Howard University Cancer Center provides free pap tests and mammograms to uninsured or underinsured women between the ages of 40 and 64. When a screening finds a cancer, however, a major issue in caring for impoverished patients is that very few local oncologists accept D.C. Medicaid. “A lot of people don’t understand that even with so many doctors and providers in the city, not everybody is seen,” said Stuart Berlow, policy manager at the D.C. Cancer Consortium. “Every patient these doctors see they lose money. We’re trying to find ways to increase Medicaid reimbursement.” Stephen Jefferson, a 45-year-old lymphoma survivor who lives in Ward 7, dealt with numerous Medicaid issues on both the federal and local level while trying to treat his cancer. When Jefferson was accidentally kicked out of the federal Medicaid program, it took him eight months to reapply. “They gave me the runaround. It’s just one more strain,” said Jefferson. “People treat you less than who you are because you fell on hard times.” Jefferson swears by the patient navigator program, saying it helped him eliminate many of the problems he faced seeking treatment. “It’s a waiting game, and you got to be strong,” said Jefferson. “The only difference between a piece of black coal and a diamond is pressure.”

Approximately 8 percent of babies born in the U.S. last year had at least one parent who was an illegal immigrant.

STREET SENSE July 6 - 19, 2011

NEWS

Students’ Dreams put on Hold By Erin Durkin Editorial Intern

Jacqueline was 14 years old when she made the trek from El Salvador to the U.S. with her 9-year-old sister. They crossed the border to be reunited with their mother. Since then, they have struggled to make ends meet.But Jacqueline still makes good grades in high school. Jacqueline, whose story was one of many gathered by Casa de Maryland, an advocacy organization founded in the 1980s by Central American refugees, is one of thousands of undocumented students in the state. Stories like hers are the reason advocacy groups, including Casa de Maryland, pushed for the Maryland DREAM Act that was passed in March. The bill would enable undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, a measure estimated to cost the state more than $40,000 per student. Advocates for the DREAM Act have argued that qualifying students must prove their families have been paying taxes into the state system for at least five years. They say that an investment in the students’ higher education would actually make financial sense. “By allowing these students to stay, attain education and get jobs, it adds more to the economy,” said Casa de Maryland’s Rosa Lozano. But not everyone has been convinced. Racing against the clock, Republican state lawmakers gained enough signatures to stall the Maryland DREAM Act. On the evening of June 30, 130,000 signatures were submitted, thereby placing the bill on a state referendum in 2012. The action blocked the law from taking effect, and stalled the college dreams of Jacqueline and other undocumented students. The road has been rocky for such efforts in some other states as well, and a national version of the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for young immigrants who attend college or join the military, failed in Congress last year. A new version of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act was recently reintro-

duced, with some changes. More than 2 million undocumented youths exist in the country and more than 65,000 graduate from high school each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Opponents contend measures such as the DREAM Act are not the best way to deal with the nation’s “broken immigration system” Jena Baker McNeill, a policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, argues that such bills amount to an offer of amnesty to illegal aliens. “The act is touted as a way to incorporate children of illegal immigrants into American society,” she wrote in a paper last year. Instead, she said, such an act would reward illegal aliens for violating federal immigration laws and “encourage more illegal immigration by sending the message that the U.S. does not take its immigration laws seriously.” And the act “would offer these benefits on taxpayer dollars while out-ofstate students struggle to fund their college educations and the economy flounders.” Such arguments ring hollow to the desperate people who come to America in search of a better life, according to Sonia Umanzor, an immigrant from El Salvador and a long-time advocate for the DREAM Act. Umanzor fled El Salvador during the Salvadorian Civil War between the military-led government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. She originally served as a nurse for the FMNL. But one day when she went into town with her unit, she lost track of it. Instead of returning to her unit and risk being followed by the military, she returned to her hometown. One night, she received news from a neighbor that the military was on their way to kill her, so she encountered many challenges. “When we were crossing the desert, I collapsed from exhaustion and the people I was with just left me. Then a brother and sister found me and carried me,” she said. When Umanzor and her group reached the Rio Grande, she nearly drowned while trying to cross. “Then a man grabbed me by my hair and pulled me to the other side. I was

Undocumented students in Maryland pushed for the passing of the DREAM Act back in March. However, with 130,000 signitures turned in by the GOP, the bill has been placed on referendum in 2012. More than 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school in the U.S. each year. If they are able to pay in-state tuition for local colleges, this will cost the state over $40,000 per student. just in my underwear when I crossed and he began touching me,” she said. Umanzor stood up in a crouching position and said to the man, “I’ve come from playing with the dead. You will kill me before you touch me. “Conditions are even worse in El Salvador now due to the drugs and the gangs. Most of the people are fleeing for safety and opportunity.” Lozano said the sooner the bill can be enacted the better. “Undocumented students will not only receive an education, but they can also start the process of becoming a legal citizen,” she said.

By allowing these students to stay, attain education and get jobs, it adds more the economy.

-Rosa Lozano, Casa de Maryland

STREET SENSE

A Visit

to an insane asylum Vendor Chris Shaw goes back in his memory to explore mental illness within his family

July 6 - 19, 2011

Pics & Poems By Chris Shaw, “Cowboy Poet” Vendor

A chance 1965 visit to Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown has emblazoned itself upon my memory. Weeks before, our dad had mentioned off-handedly how we “had to go up to Connecticut and visit with Cousin Mil.” So one day we found ourselves flying up the Jersey Turnpike in the olive green Mercury Meteor with the white hardtop roof, past haunted manors with tiny glass widow’s walks and huge dairy farms with looming barns, and lushly rolling green pastures carpeted endlessly with mottled white-on-black Holstein cows. But suddenly, my lulling daydreams on this balmy June day were given a harsh jolt. We had arrived. Dad led me by the hand and I held on for dear life to Ruthie’s hand. We stumbled through a series of ever-smaller corridors, twisting and turning, cut off at regular intervals by heavy doors with mesh windows (more like nautical portholes) which CLANGED shut behind us until we found ourselves at a dead end, facing a cramped windowless “reception room.” There was a pale green table and chair, at which sat our long-lost cousin Millie (or Mildred, or just plain Cousin Mil) Warrant. Mildred grimaced, stretching her toothless gums for all to see. Dad sheepishly uttered to no one in particular, “Well, well. Here’s Cousin Mil. How are you doing?” He tentatively extended his hand in a familial way, but she just stared blankly, swatting the hand away. Then she began an ungodly wailing, which echoed around the ancient walls of the ward. As we were led away in utter confusion, Dad tried feebly to explain that Mil hadn’t been too well since her “womb” had been removed, and everyone in the family felt sorry for her unfortunate condition, though over the years few had bothered to come visit or look in on her in any way. That night, late, back in D.C., I recall Ruth sobbed herself to sleep between whimpers of “God, am I going to wind up CRAZY, like HER?!!”

Cousin Mil passed away within the confines of Connecticut Valley Hospital, a few years after my experience with her.

These images were taken between 1971 and 1979 with a Polaroid 295 bellows SLR camera. No artificial lighting or “effects” were employed in the taking of these pictures. More of them will appear in subsequent issues. “COWBOY POET” CHRIS SHAW, STREET SENSE

10 10 NINA THE DETECTIVE: A NEW CHAPTER, PART 2

Fiction

Nina Opens Up and Pays the Price By Ivory Wilson Vendor Summary of Part 1: Nina agrees to a dinner date with Glambi, a new detective who just transferred to Chicago from New York. Glambi’s wife left him because of his gambling problem. Captain Newton assigns Nina and Glambi to a homicide case; the victim, Anthony Thorpe, was shot. Nina follows Glambi to his apartment building so he can drop off his car. Part 2: Glambi drives in his driveway, parks the car, gets out and closes the door. Nina stops at a traffic light. Three strong-arm goons appear from behind Glambi’s apartment. One is named Butch; the other two are Dexter and Greg. “Hello, Glambi. It’s about time you came home. Tommie wants his money,” Butch says. “Hey, look, guys. I need some more time,” Glambi says. “No more time,” Dexter says. “Tommie said if you don’t hand over 25 grand we have to break something on you.” Greg grabs Glambi from behind and Dexter punches him. Butch takes out a hammer and tries to put Glambi’s hand on his car so he can break it. Nina sees the men struggling with Glambi. She drives up, slams on her brakes, and jumps out of her car. She runs, jumps in the air and kicks Butch in the face. Butch drops the hammer and falls back on the car. Glambi gets loose from Greg and starts punching him in the face. Nina back kicks Dexter, knocking him off his feet to the ground. Butch picks up the hammer and takes a swing at Nina’s face. Blocking it she takes the hammer from him, grabs his hand and flips him on his back. Butch gets up on his feet, and the men run away. Nina wants to chase them. “No, wait, Nina. They’re gone,” Glambi says.

KELSEY OSTERMAN, STREET SENSE

“You want to tell me what that was all about? Are you OK?” Nina asks. “Let’s get to the crime scene. I’ll tell you about it on the way,” Glambi says. They get in the car and Nina drives away. “OK, Glambi. Tell me,” she says. Glambi tries to think of something to tell her and settles on the truth. “OK, Nina. I know the guys. They came from New York. I owe Tommie Luckie $25,000, so he sent his guys to collect the money.” Nina rubs Glambi’s face with her hand, tenderly. “I can help you pay it back.” “No, you can’t. I got myself into this mess, and I’ll get out,” Glambi says. “How, Glambi? They’re gangsters. They won’t go away. What’s your plan? Pack up and run to another city? They’ll

find you and get their money, or they’ll kill you.” They reach the crime scene at 1115 Harpo Lane. Anthony Thorpe’s mother said Anthony had been beating his wife Alice outside. She heard a shot and came outside. Anthony’s mother says she thinks Alice shot her son. “Where can I find Alice?” Nina asks. Anthony’s mother says Alice lives out back in apartment 4. Nina and Glambi walk around to apartment number 4. Alice looks out her window and sees them coming. Nina and Glambi take out their guns. Nina knocks on the door and says, “Alice, it’s the police. May we come in?” Alice sits in a chair and shoots herself in the head. Glambi kicks in the door. They see that Alice is dead. The gun is on the

floor beside the chair. “Alice started to lose it,” Nina says. “That animal was beating her, Glambi. Why did she do this to herself? The law would have protected her.” Glambi sees Nina is about to cry. He takes her in his arms, holds her tightly, and kisses her on the forehead. “Let it go, Nina,” Glambi says. He wraps his arms around her and walks her out of the apartment. He puts Nina in the passenger side of her car and gets in the driver’s side. He calls in the shooting then drives them to his apartment. Glambi takes Nina upstairs to his bedroom where they get their freak on. The next morning Nina wakes up in Glambi’s bed. Nina gets dressed, goes downstairs, sees the time, and gets in her car. Glambi is still asleep in his bed. Nina starts her car. Glambi wakes up to the sound of the engine. He gets up and walks to the window and shouts, “Where are you going, Nina?” “I’m going home,” Nina says, peeling out and shifting gears. “Fine,” Glambi says. Still sleepy, he crawls back into his bed and goes back to sleep. At 9 a.m. the alarm clock rings and Glambi wakes up again. He takes a shower, gets dressed, and decides not to drive his car to work because the engine is running badly and needs to be checked out. Glambi takes a taxi to work. He reaches the department and sees Nina parked in her car waiting for him. They go in together and file their report with Captain Newton about the homicide. Nina starts to have deep feelings for Glambi. She wants to help him pay back his debt to the gangster. Glambi calls Paulie’s auto shop on his cell phone and makes plans to drop his car off there today to have it checked out. After they file their report, Glambi asks Nina if she will drive him back to his apartment so he can get his car, and if she will follow him to the auto shop. Nina says yes. She drives him back to his apartment and they talk about last night and their dinner date for tonight. Glambi gets out of Nina’s car, walks to his own car, opens the door, gets in, and closes the door. The car blows up. Nina gets out of her car, screaming. Glambi is dead.

STREET SENSE July 6 - 19, 2011

POETRY

Captive Love By David Denny Vendor I cannot capture on paper the sense of the macabre, the gray Or the wan expressions of a gloomy day. My pen cannot describe in words the pain A ravaged soul pours out like rain. And I cannot draw a picture of the darkness inside That soul where insecurity, fear and doubt hide. I cannot capture on paper the fate Of lost souls that harbor hate, Or the evil thoughts buried below Where the seeds of evil start to grow

As I Lean Against a Tree By Anne-Marie Holloway Vendor As I lean against a tree Offering a newspaper for a dollar donation, sometimes for free Stirring up that circulation To help homeless on a destination Observing the people passing by Waving back at the babies, saying hi I see the world of generations walking by Most straight, some high Many different walks of life Carrying that strife Off in a hurry With a scurry Uniquely different, but yet the same Passing by at their own pace to keep up with the game Carrying stress and worries Each with their own stories As I lean against a Tree Offering a newspaper for a dollar donation, sometimes for free Thinking of my big little me’s Carrying my stress and worries With my own stories Hoping for a helping hand

However, let me express the wonders of love That comes from an Infinite Heaven and the stars above. I cannot capture the subtle emotion that comes into a mother’s eyes And the warm embrace that soothes when her baby cries. I would like to express that there are wonders in love And the saving grace from God above.

KELSEY OSTERMAN, STREET SENSE

In this grand land Keeping my chin held high Not to stumble on my pride Being stuck in this homeless situation Comes with a few anticipations Standing strong for right over wrong Makes a day not seem so long Keeping my morals and standards Avoiding any hazards I set my goals for the day And continue to pray For brighter days to come my way Holding on to motherly advice from the past That will always last Hold on always to that glowing love From above As another day passes me by I lay my head down and sigh Placing my life in Jehovah God’s hands Once again Determined not to sin Waking up to a new day Knowing brighter days are on their way Continuing the same old, same old Remembering stories untold Working on my goals Taking care of my soul I thank those who have given me a helping hand In this grand land.

STREET SENSE July 6 - 19, 2011

Review

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

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: GENE WEINGARTEN IS A COLLEGE DROPOUT AND THE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED HUMOR COLUMNIST FOR THE WASHINGTON POST. DAN WEINGARTEN IS A FORMER COLLEGE DROPOUT AND A CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENT MAJORING IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. MANY THANKS TO GENE WEINGARTEN AND THE WASHINGTON POST WRITER’S GROUP FOR ALLOWING STREET SENSE TO RUN BARNEY & CLYDE.

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REVIEW

“With Stars in My Eyes” By Mary Clare Fischer Editorial Intern When asked who Duke Ellington is, the average person can identify him: one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time. Yet when asked who Billy Taylor is, that same person can only shake his head in ignorance. With the recent publishing of her latest book, With Stars in My Eyes, Renatta DeBlase is determined to change that. “That’s why I’m speaking up for him,” DeBlase said in an interview with Street Sense. “Duke Ellington’s a household name all over the world… but Billy’s very conservative, softspoken, and it’s working against him. He’s not getting the kind of regard or respect as a lot of the others.” As the personal assistant for Taylor, who worked as a pianist, broadcaster, educator and Artistic Director of the Kennedy Center, DeBlase booked Taylor in concert halls and cultural centers rather than the lower-class clubs where jazz musicians played during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. She later made it her mission to raise awareness of jazz as an “original art form,” extending her work to promote other jazz artists and even attempting to publish Duke Ellington’s memoirs through Simon and Schuster, where she worked as an editorial assistant. “I didn’t realize this, but I was actually making history with the things I’ve done,” DeBlase said. DeBlase’s book, currently available on audio and as an eBook, recalls her rise as a white jazz insider in a predominantly black community: from going to segregated clubs in New Jersey as a graduate student at Rutgers University to taking care of a young African-American child for a summer to successfully launching a project supported by Columbia Arts Management to gain jazz the respect it deserved. “I took my project ever so slowly because I realized it would take time and patience to change the patronizing attitudes toward minorities in the United States,” DeBlase writes. “But when I heard Mr. Jones [the Columbia record executive]’s positive advice about my project…I breathed a sign of

The Case for Michelle By Jeffery McNeil Vendor Do you realize the responsibility I carry? I’m the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House. -John F. Kennedy

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RENATTA DEBLASE

DeBlase poses in Hyattsville right before she endured the first of three surgeries. (Above) DeBlase’s new book reveals a personal look at the great Billy Taylor (Right) relief and said to myself, ‘The project is over, and I have won.’” With Stars in My Eyes is passionate and intensely detailed, transporting the reader or listener back in time to the height of the Civil Rights Movement and conveying just how much DeBlase cares about both Taylor and his music. “It wa s ju st someth in g that clicked,” DeBlase said. “There was no affair; I always said I was too busy getting his tickets. He viewed me as a daughter but also as a woman that he admired. It was very cute.” DeBlase is now retired but continues to do charity work, such as rescuing feral cats and relocating them to the Good Shepherd Cat Sanctuary on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. “The obligation to do volunteer and

charitable work was instilled in me at a very early age as was the importance of higher education and worth ethic,” DeBlase said in the audio version of her book. Despite her significant behind-thescenes influence on the jazz world, DeBlase simply remains grateful to have done her part in the push for recognition for both African-Americans and jazz. “I remember somebody asked Winton Marsalis once, ‘Why don’t you go march?” DeBlase said. “And he said, ‘I’ve been marching with my music.’”

Although this quote dates back 50 years, it is relevant to Election 2012. I really do not want to imagine what America’s future will be like once President Obama leaves office. Although I am not a big fan of his, I believe he is the best Republican candidate we have for 2012. Truth is, there are no true Democrats running anymore. Politicians do not want to upset their base (Wall Street). There is no courage to stand up for the little guy for fear of offending the big donors. The only reason that anyone would pull the lever for Obama is that the alternatives are awful. Seriously, even though I hope Obama wins, I trust Republicans more than Democrats. Republicans are more honest. I know what they stand for as they open about their plan to destroy democracy to enrich themselves. Democrats, on the other hand, are more congenial, but they are selling us poor people down the river, too. They will give you bus fare and throw in a good barbeque before sending you to the poorhouse. Right, Mayor Gray? My disappointment with Obama is that he campaigned as Robin Hood. But once elected, he became a Robbing Hood. Every time I turn on the T.V. he is in a room with a Republican trying to cut a deal. The truth is so many Republicans come out of the White House that if he looked like a Republican he might win the nomination. I voted for someone who fights for us, not someone who tries to conciliate with a group of people so far to the right that they make Genghis Khan look like Gandhi. These radicals are not interested in working together. They can’t get over the fact that instead of cutting their lawns, he is their president. This is why I will vote for Michelle Bachman. I think if you vote for the worst, Americans will wake up, stop watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta, become active and finally create real change you can believe in.

Our News Picture of the Month

Keeping the Faith By Michael Davidson Vendor PHOTO COURTESY JAKE ANDREWS

I thank God first, then Street Sense and, of course, my customers for being able to write this. While working one day cutting down a 100-year-old oak tree I lost my balance and fell 40 feet. I woke up in the hospital. I had been in surgery for four hours. I had my right kneecap removed, a broken shoulder, six stitches over my left eye and a cracked rib on my right side. They told me I might not be able to walk again. I stayed in the hospital for seven days. Not long after I was released, I turned to drugs and alcohol. During that time, I lost my place to live and everything else I had. I became homeless. While homeless one day, I heard a voice. But when I looked around, there was no one. The voice said to me, “to whom much is given, much is required.” That started me on my way. I learned later that voice was God. After one year, when I regained feelings in my leg, I had to learn to walk again. It hasn’t been easy, but it is worth every bit of effort. Today I am free from drugs and alcohol. Every day is a struggle, but every day gets better. I continue to pray and keep striving forward, working for Street Sense, helping others whenever I can. I continue to pray and putting God first. I know that anything is possible. I know that one day I will return to fulltime employment. For now, I thank those who support Street Sense and may God continue to bless you all.

Amidst hurrying pedestrians, Mandy Howell holds Street Sense aloft, bringing a voice to the Washington, D.C. homeless. Mandy and fourteen other volunteers from Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. participated in our Vendor For a Day program. The group was paired with vendor Charles Nelson and sent to the streets to help him sell papers. For three hours these volunteers experienced what it is like to be a Street Sense vendor. At the end of the day they brought back stories of how the day went. The students mostly reflected on the better stories of the day: The passer-bys who gave $5 instead of one, or the ones who stopped to talk. They left feeling accomplished: Not only did they help support someone experiencing homelessness; they also delivered an important message – a message we often overlook. Homelessness is a reality, it can happen to anyone, and it is only together, as a community, that we can fix it.

My Straying Tears

By Jackie Turner Vendor

I haven’t cried today, I wonder if my tears have strayed. It used to be once a day, To let me know If my tears have strayed.

Donations Needed

We’re lucky to have a home...but our chairs need some help. Please help us out by donating chairs to our office! Tax-deductible! Plus you’ll be helping out a worthwhile cause. Contact robert@ streetsense.org Love, Street Sense

STREET SENSE July 6 - 19, 2011

Service Spotlight: N Street Village By Mary Clare Fischer Editorial Intern Evelyn Green used to be an alcoholic with no place to call home. Now she’s a manager at the same institution that helped her stay sober for 19 years: N Street Village. N Street Village supplies shortterm and long-term services to homeless and low-income women in Washington. The majority of its clients are older, African-American women with a history of mental illness and/or addiction as well as physical or emotional traumatic experiences. Due to this excess of individual problems, N Street Village takes a comprehensive approach to solving issues. The organization offers two drop-in services, three supportive services and four residential services. The Wellness Center is open to anyone for nurse care and also runs outreach programs to educate the public about community health and

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

SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 110 Maryland Avenue, NE (202) 289-0596 (office) (202) 289-2111 (shelter) www.calvaryservices.org Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745–7118, www.missiondc.org Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393–1909 www.newhopeministriesdc.org/id3.html Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356,www.communityofhopedc.org Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE (202) 610–9600, www.covenanthousedc.org John Young Center (Women) 119 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469, www.catholiccharitiesdc.org

disease prevention. The Targeted Health Programs include medical, dental, chiropractic, nutrition, weight management and smoking termination clinics while Clinical Services focuses on therapy, crisis management, mental health and addiction. N Street Village’s housing options emphasize recovery from a specific problem: homelessness, addiction, mental illness or addiction and mental illness. Some require monthly rent while others are more flexible. The winner of the 2006 Washington Post Excellence in Nonprofit Management Award, N Street Village boasts a 26 percent employment success rate for women leaving its programs in comparison to the 20 percent national average for exiting employment rate of homeless programs. To learn more about N Street Village, call (202) 939-2060 or visit nstreetvillage.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MEDICAL RESOURCES

Academy of Hope GED Center 601 Edgewood Street, NE (202) 269-6623, www.aohdc.org

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

My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596, Washington, DC 20017 (202) 529-5261 (office) (202) 529-5991 (24-hour hotline) N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060, www.nstreetvillage.org Samaritan Inns 2523 14th St., NW (202) 667 - 8831 http://www.samaritaninns.org/home/ New York Ave Shelter (Men 18+) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359

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

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

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Catholic Community Services 924 G Street, NW (202) 772–4300, www.ccs–dc.org D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW (202) 347–8870, www.dccfh.org Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW (202) 347–0511, www.cflsdc.org Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332–4010, www.foundryumc.org Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842–1731, www.grm.org Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332–2874 www.ccs–dc.org/find/services/ JHP, Inc. 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 544–9126, www.jobshavepriority.org Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202) 889–7702, www.samaritanministry.org

SHELTER HOTLINE: 1–800–535–7252

VENDOR PROFILE: VEDA SIMPSON

The Street Sense Humming Bird By Zachary Davidson Editorial Intern Veda Simpson was homeless in 2007 when she went to the doctor and was told about Street Sense by another woman in the waiting room. Since then, Simpson has been selling Street Sense at 13th and G Street NW five days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. For Simpson, Street Sense was the jumpstart she needed to get out of homelessness. She now lives in a Section 8 apartment furnished mainly through the help of her customers. She said Street Sense gives people like her the “chance to be yourself, no one is working over you.” When it comes to her customers, they “love me to death. One time I was sick for two months, people were wondering where I was, where I had been.” Simpson added that she likes to brighten up their lives. “I sing all day, people stop to hear my singing. They call me the Street Sense Humming Bird, or the Cat Lady.” Simpson has a deep love for homeless animals, particularly cats. Her care for about eight friendly cats that follow her everywhere has inspired her to one day be a veterinarian. She added that her loving cats helped carry her through tough times. “God stayed with me and I stayed with my animals, which I believe are God’s creatures,” she said. Simpson believes that as a result of her faithfulness she has never been in need.

Simpson used to be on drugs, but she now puts her faith and trust in God and attends daily meetings as part of her treatment. “Just ’cause you were on a wrong road you don’t have to stay on that road,” she said. Simpson is also passionate about community, “I also love children. The children in the neighborhood show me their report cards, I give them $10 for every A, and $5 for every B.” She added, “If I can help someone then I won’t have lived in vain then.” Favorite Day: Friday Favorite Time: Lunch Favorite Food: Chicken Favorite Movies: Action Favorite Book: The Bible Hobbies: Being with her cats

July 6 - 19, 2011• Volume 8 • Issue 18 Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC

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THE LAST WORD By Lisa Gillespie Managing Editor

Moving On

“Keep on writing; don’t let these people discourage you. I’m hoping one day Street Sense will rank right up there with the New York Times,” said vendor Michael Lee Matthews, between praises of God and the divine on my voicemail. I’ve never met Matthews. Every time he’s stopped in to say hello, I’ve been entrenched in either putting out the paper or editing something. I haven’t had time to introduce myself or find out his story. He’s called a few times before with words of encouragement or story ideas, with an urgent voice, highpitched, quick and without pause. His voicemail this morning was on my first day of my last week at Street Sense. It was in response to my “Last Word” last issue, before I knew I was leaving and was still struggling with the lack of name recognition Street Sense can bring for both vendors trying to sell the paper and the people who work here. At Street Sense, we don’t have a newsroom. We have one room, crowded with up to six interns, one volunteer, one vendor manager, one editor-in-chief and one managing editor. The vendors come and go throughout the day, which adds another unique element to the mix. The computers often crash, the church bells ring every five minutes, and two months ago, I accidentally pulled a cord, which led to the crash of the entire server and days of working remotely. We don’t do it for the money. Our subjects, the homeless and impoverished, come in to interact with us on a more intrapersonal level. We lack the collegial niceties of many newsrooms. We’re here to turn out a product to be sold, but we often become pseudo-social workers, the soundboard of problems in shelters, on the street, the troubles with long-lost children, paranoia, fights with other vendors, even problems with staff. The staff become third- person omniscient narrators, without problems of our own and sometimes, little support. But we still work here. At Street Sense, we believe that people deserve 90 chances to get it right. We work here because we believe if given the chance, people will thrive. We carry a Lockean view of the world: people are not often born addicts, mentally unstable or poor. It’s through institutions, other people and circumstances that they become homeless. We try to give our vendors a boost, much in the same way Street

Sense has given me a boost. When I graduated from college in December of 2008, unemployment was at 7.6 percent nationally. Eight months later, it was at 9.6 percent. I was waiting tables and looking for a journalism jobs when I got the opportunity to fill Mary Otto’s shoes for a year. The annual silent auction I attended that fall as interim editor-in-chief, I was pretending through my discomfort. I was 23, inexperienced in managing interns who were my age or older and playacting at being an adult. It’s probably a feeling our vendors have when they first come here, often in raggedy clothes, living on the street and in depressed states. Over time, they gain confidence in selling to customers who make far more than they do in a year. Our hope is that vendors will eventually move on and no longer need us. The paper has served the same purpose for me. I’m leaving to join a respected newspaper, The Employee Benefit News, ebn. benefitnews.com, as an associate editor, my first full-time job. Though I haven’t been unemployed or homeless, the low self-confidence if felt in my work after three to four job rejections each month took a toll. I stopped believing in my work, constructive criticism from loved ones became unbearable; the positive reinforcement that had been ingrained in me from birth chipped away over that year. The constant rejection I felt was probably nothing compared to what some of our vendors have experienced, but it will forever stay with me. Now, I’m moving on and I’m glad to be. I get to stop and talk to our vendors now. I’ll read the paper without toiling away at it. I will follow Street Sense on Twitter, making sure the work we put into social media is continued. One day, I might even come back to volunteer. Street Sense gave me a chance in an economy where I never thought I’d work for a printed publication again, when Washington Post reporters were being cut left and right and new J-School graduates were graduating in droves. The point of Street Sense is to eventually move on, and here I am.