08.14.2024 by Street Sense Media

ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS

THE TEAM

VENDORS

Abel Putu, Aida Peery, Al Edmonson, Akindele Akerejah, Amia Walker, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Cameé Lee, Carlos Carolina, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Clinton Kilpatrick, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders, Darlesha Joyner, David

Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon “Gigi” Dovonou, Denise Hall, Dominique Anthony, Don Gardner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Eric Thompson-Bey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Faith Winkler, Floyd Carter, Frederic John, Frederick Walker, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, Gracias Garcias, Greta Christian, Harriet Fields, Henrieese Roberts, Henry Johnson, Invisible

Prophet, Ivory Wilson, Jacqueline “Jackie” Turner, Jacques Collier, James Davis, James Hughes, Jeanette Richardson, Jeff Taylor, Jeffery McNeil, Jeffrey Carter, Jemel Fleming, Jenkins Dalton, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jermale McKnight, Jet Flegette, Jewel Lewis, John Littlejohn, Josie Brown, Juliene Kengnie, Kenneth Middleton, Kym Parker, Laticia Brock, Lawrence Autry,

n 2017, we began hosting a number of different workshopsaimedathelpingourvendorsdevelop skills beyond writing for our newspaper. On any given day, our vendors are illustrating, painting, recordingpodcasts,takingphotos,rehearsingplays, organizingadvocacygroups,andcomingtogetherasacommunity.

Levester Green, L. Morrow, Marc Grier, Marcus McCall, Martin Walker, Mary Sellman, Maurice Carter, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Micheal Pennycook, Michael Warner, Micheal Warren Stevens, Morgan Jones, Nathanial Piscitelli, Nikila Smith, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Peaceful Tobias, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Rachelle Ellison, Rashawn Bowser, Reginald Black,

Reginald Denny, Ricardo Meriedy, Richard “Mooney” Hart, Rita Sauls, Robert Vaughn, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, Ronnell Wilson, S. Smith, Sasha Williams, Saul Presa, Shawn Fenwick, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sureyakanti Behera, Susan Wilshusen, Sybil Taylor, Tasha Savoy, Tony Bond, Tonya Williams, Vennie Hill, Wanda Alexander, Wendell Williams

In 2023, artists/vendors published a book of their photography,

and shared their life experiences in an oral history project!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ashley McMaster, Blake Androff, Clare Krupin, Corrine Yu, Jonquilyn Hill, Matt Perra, Michael Vaughan Cherubin, Michael Phillips, NanaSentuo Bonsu, Shari Wilson, Stanley Keeve

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Brian Carome

ART

Vulnerability

FREDERIC JOHN

Artist/Vendor

Content warning: This article quotes a racial slur. Wee-oo! Wee-you-oooh, wee-you… (boom-b)! Boom-ba-boom-ba, boom, doo-do [weeyoo…] The vibrations: exuberantly insisting on breakin’ down that kitchen screendoor. Hot outside in the May noonday sun — hot inside, cause Fleurina Doll was baking a fresh sheet of down-home biscuits! For mother, of course. In the grip of silent, surely painful catatonia; unable to communicate save her impassive grey eyes.

And for Johnny and Doll, additional beneficiaries of the baking tray. On the tweed, plug-in portable radio sitting on the counter, radio station WOOK-1340 AM was wrapping up another nonsensical episode of “Ben Basie, MD” — a send-up of the lily-white hospital series Ben Casey, only here with the jovial and affable Count Basie himself mumbling endless witty asides. (“Here I am, with no flim flam!”)

Following “Dr. Ben,” was the nasal rat-a-tat-tat of a standard strident broadcast of “Dateline Cuba, June 15, 1962; President Kennedy and his defense staff are busy monitoring naval activity of increased volume in Havana Harbor.” Followed by, “Sidney Poitier makes big-time box office this week with ‘Lilies of the Field’…” Click. Doll snaps off the radio and snaps at me, “Let’s walk down to the shopping center bus, see if the natives is restless,” with a sly smile, bigger than all outdoors.

As we pull off from the bus stop on the corner of Overland and Fort Sumner, Billy Badhams and three of his mangy cohorts in matching striped T-shirts and wrinkled shorts try to block the vehicle, shouting epithets like “coon bus!”

Upon hearing the shouted gibberish, Walter the leathery, bespectacled driver (nearly 70), pushes back his peaked cap and vaults onto the less empowered Billy with both bony knees and sharp elbows as he whispers hoarsely, “Whatcha say about this bus, boy?”

“I-it’s-uh-it’s-a-cool bus, s-sir,” Billy drooled.

“Yeah, well get the hell down the road — on foot,” Walter said. We then traveled uneventfully over to the Spring Valley shopping center across the D.C. line. Doll sprang for an ample bar of Sugar Babies candy for us.

BIRTHDAYS

Faith Winkler

Aug. 17

ARTIST/VENDOR

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Darick Brown

DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT

Thomas Ratliff

VENDOR PROGRAM

ASSOCIATES

Aida Peery, Chon Gotti, Nikila Smith VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS

Ann Herzog, Beverly Brown, Madeleine McCollough, Roberta Haber

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Annemarie Cuccia

Levester Green

Aug. 17

ARTIST/VENDOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

Donte Kirby

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Fiona Riley, Franziska Wild, Samantha Monteiro

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN Leela Waehrer

PatriciaDonaldson

Aug. 20

ARTIST/VENDOR

HIGH SCHOOL INTERN

Hannah Brooker

ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE

Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater), Rachel Dungan (Podcast),

Willie Schatz (Writing)

EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS

Abigail Chang, Aiesha Clark, Alison Henry, Andrew Chow, Annabella Hoge, Anne Eigeman, August Dichter, Benjamin Litoff, Candace Montague,

EVENTS AT SSM

ANNOUNCEMENTS

□ The August vendor meeting will be Friday, Aug. 23, at 2 p.m. Come for pizza, drinks and a discussion about Street Sense Media!

□ The office will be closed Monday, Sept. 2, for Labor Day.

□ 2-for-1 on the second Friday is back! Newspapers will be on sale to vendors for $.25 a piece for the last three business days of each issue.

□ Find a list of vendor announcements and other useful information just for you at streetsensemedia. org/vendor-info.

Cari Shane, Chelsea Cirruzzo, Dan Goff, Elise Zaidi, Grier Hall, Jack Walker, J.M. Ascienzo, Josh Axelrod, Kate Molloy, Kathryn Owens, Lizzy Rager, Loren Kimmel, Matt Gannon, Micah Levey, Nina Raj, Ryan Bacic, Susannah Birle, Taylor Nichols, Zach Montellaro

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT

Read this democratically elected code of conduct, by vendors, for vendors!

1. IwillsupportStreetSenseMedia’smissionstatement andinsodoingwillworktosupporttheStreetSense Mediacommunityandupholditsvaluesofhonesty, respect, support, and opportunity.

2. I will treat all others, including customers, staff, volunteers, and fellow vendors, respectfully at all times.Iwillrefrainfromthreateningothers,pressuring customers into making donations, or engaging in behaviorthatcondonesracism,sexism,classism,or other prejudices.

3. I understand that I am not an employee of Street Sense Media but an independent contractor.

4. WhiledistributingtheStreetSensenewspaper,Iwillnot askformorethan$3perissueorsolicitdonationsby any other means.

5. I will only purchase the newspaper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not distribute newspapers to other vendors.

6. Iwillnotdistributecopiesof“StreetSense”onmetro trains and buses or on private property.

7. IwillabidebytheStreetSenseMediaVendorTerritory Policyatalltimesandwillresolveanyrelateddisputes with other vendors in a professional manner.

8. I will not sell additional goods or products while distributing “Street Sense.”

9. Iwillnotdistribute“StreetSense”undertheinfluence of drugs or alcohol.

10. Iunderstandthatmybadgeandvestarepropertyof Street Sense Media and will not deface them. I will presentmybadgewhenpurchasing“StreetSense” andwillalwaysdisplaymybadgewhendistributing “Street Sense.”

Illustration by Frederic John

Revitalization for who, Museum Square tenants ask

FRANZISKA WILD Editorial Intern

Though she’s lived in the Museum Square building for over 20 years, Lin Yong Ru says it’s obvious she’s being forced out of her home.

“The landlord of our building is not friendly to the residents, they frequently ask us to move out,” she said at a recent town hall with other Chinatown residents.

Ru is just one of 70 remaining residents at Museum Square, a 302 unit apartment building located at 401 K St. NW in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood. For years, the building has been at the center of a battle between tenants, fighting against their own displacement, and their Virginia-based landlord Bush Companies. Museum Square is an emblem of a much larger debate — one about which communities should be included in the city’s plan for the economic revitalization of D.C.’s Chinatown.

In the last year, the remaining residents of Museum Square say they have faced increasingly difficult conditions, yet they are determined to stay. The building where many have lived for decades provides a vital and caring community that helps residents, many of whom are immigrants, navigate life in the United States.

“The reason we choose to be in Chinatown is because we have the language barrier. It is difficult for us to communicate with mainstream society,” Jenny Zhou, another resident, said at the same town hall.

In the 1970s, nearly 3,000 Chinese residents called D.C. Chinatown home. As of the latest census only 361 Chinese residents live in the neighborhood. The majority live at two locations: Wah Luck house, an affordable housing complex on 6th Street, and Museum Square.

Before 2014, Museum Square was part of the federal Section 8 program, where low-income residents pay 30% of their income in rent and the federal government makes up the difference. This program ensured Museum Square was affordable for its residents — the majority of whom are Chinese, according to residents and organizers.

In 2014, Bush Companies announced it would not renew its Section 8 contract and instead would try to demolish the complex in order to construct 13 stories of market-rate condos, four levels of parking, and 17,000 feet of retail space.

Tenants rallied to save their building by using the Tenant’s Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), a law that theoretically guarantees tenants the first chance to purchase their homes when a building goes up for sale. But Bush Companies offered to sell Museum Square for a whopping $250 million — more than $800,000 a unit — a price the residents couldn’t pay. At the time, the building was appraised of a value of just $36 million, according to Washington City Paper.

In response to the inflated offer, the tenants took Bush Companies to court in 2016, arguing the price offered by Bush was not considered what TOPA defines as a “bona fide” offer, and won. Since then, the number of tenants at Museum Square has steadily declined as Bush Companies refuses to sell to a development partner the residents have picked to help them buy the building, and instead seems to be waiting the mainly elderly residents out, according to Cassie He, an organizer with the Save Chinatown Solidarity network.

“The landlord wants to push residents out of the building, and the way they have been doing that is by not being super responsive to tenant needs,” He said in an interview with Street Sense.

Multiple elevators in the nine-story-tall building are broken, posing health and safety concerns for the building’s mainly elderly residents, according to He. At the beginning of the summer, Bush Companies refused to turn the air conditioning on until the mandatory switch-on date of May 15, leading to temperatures as high as 86 degrees at night. This prevented sick and elderly residents from being able to sleep, according to court records.

Finding recourse has been difficult, according to Nashrah Ahmed, the attorney who represents the Museum Square tenants. She feels as though the tenants have run through most of the resources that exist, and pointed to past and ongoing cases in housing conditions court, which have yet to compel Bush Companies to repair the elevators or address other issues. Bush Companies did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.

In Ahmed’s eyes, the limbo the tenants find themselves in currently is indicative of structural issues with TOPA — namely that the law doesn’t account for cases like this one where the landlord refuses to sell at a reasonable price and instead seems to be hoping enough tenants move out.

“The Museum Square tenants, they won their TOPA litigation, but they’re not better than they were before. There is no way to force Bush to sell, and Bush is able to let it fall into disrepair and just wait the tenants out. And so while the tenants may have won their TOPA litigation, where has that brought us in 10 years?” Ahmed said.

Nor has Mayor Muriel Bowser’s announcement of a Gallery Place and Chinatown Task Force earlier this year heralded much positive change for Museum Square. The taskforce is part of her larger $400 million dollar plan to revitalize downtown D.C. over the next five years, and includes goals like adding 15,000 residents to downtown, creating more affordable housing, and prioritizing minority owned businesses.

The taskforce’s vision for Chinatown aims to honor community and serve the neighborhood by preserving local businesses and adding new boutiques.

However, Museum Square falls just outside the blocks the task force is supposed to focus on, and there’s no representation of Museum Square residents on the task force. This exclusion is frustrating for those like He, who are advocating for Museum Square.

“The boundaries for Chinatown don’t even include Museum Square, in fact there is a broader over representation of Gallery Place,” He said. “Museum Square is consistently left out and the folks who live there are working class, immigrants, and people of color.”

A spokesperson for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) wrote in an email to Street Sense the taskforce was initially conceived in the wake of the announcement that the Capitals and Wizards might be leaving the Capitol One Arena site, and its main focus was to “reimagine how the Capital One Arena site and the surrounding blocks could be improved and transformed to ensure a vibrant and active downtown for years to come.”

The spokesperson added that while “Museum Square is not within the Task Force’s immediate boundaries, it remains an important focus of community engagement” for DMPED and the Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs.

Still, the frustration for residents and organizers remains, and they have channeled it into action. The Save Chinatown Solidarity network has been working to amplify the needs, demands, and ideas of Museum Square residents they say would revitalize the neighborhood in ways that center community.

This includes arguing against a proposed nine-story development project that would displace two small Chinese businesses in the neighborhood and for the creation of a locally owned Chinese grocery store. Currently, Chinatown only has a corner store which sorely lacks produce and other important items, meaning residents of both Museum Square and the Wah Luck house must travel as far as Virginia to find grocery stores that are culturally appropriate.

He said organizers and residents are looking to bring in an independently and locally owned business, not a chain Asian grocery store, to preserve language access and to center and grow the community.

“There is so much demand for a grocery store like this, everyone we’ve talked to would be so excited,” He said. In addition to the grocery store, the Save Chinatown Solidarity network hopes that the city will take steps to hold Bush Companies accountable and ensure everyone has access to affordable housing in the reimagined downtown. For organizers, like He, a revitalized Chinatown means first and foremost addressing the displacement of the neighborhood’s longtime residents.

“What does it actually mean to have a Chinatown without Chinese residents or small businesses?” He asked. “What does it mean to revitalize the area without taking into consideration the people who have been living there for decades and decades?

Andrea Ho contributed reporting.

The Museum Square apartment building sits just a few blocks from the center of Chinatown.

Photo by Andrea Ho

Voting while experiencing homelessness can be a challenge. Here’s how nonprofits can help

FIONA RILEY Editorial Intern

The Supreme Court gave local governments the power to criminalize homelessness. Now, nonprofit organizations are helping people with lived experience of homelessness vote on the officials who hold this power.

Following the Supreme Court’s June 28 ruling in Johnson v. Grants Pass , which allows cities to punish people for sleeping outside, advocacy groups, organizations, and individuals across the country are ramping up resources to ensure people experiencing homelessness have the opportunity to elect their local government officials and vote for representatives who reflect their beliefs on criminalization.

Oftentimes people experiencing homelessness, like many U.S. citizens, “don’t grasp” the impact their individual vote could have on the outcome of an election, said Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. But when marginalized people register to participate in the process, it reminds candidates they are a key demographic.

“Those decisions are made at the local level,” Whitehead said about the criminalization of homelessness. “It’s the local council, it’s the mayor, the governor, the county council, and people with lived experience have a real opportunity to impact who is making those decisions.”

While you don’t need a permanent address to register to vote in D.C., a number of barriers can prevent people experiencing homelessness from participating in the process. Registering to vote with proper documentation, accessing information on candidates and policy issues, and arranging transportation to polling sites on Election Day are steps that require time and resources not everyone has.

Daniel Kingery sits at the corner of Vermont Avenue and I Street in Northwest D.C. with a sign promoting his website, CleanHonestGovernment.com. One of the site’s main goals is to highlight the influence registered voters from all socioeconomic backgrounds can have on national politics, but Kingery said several barriers prevent people from executing this right. He said with persistent encampment clearings across the country, many people experiencing homelessness, including himself, move around and may end up in a state they aren’t registered to vote in.

“In D.C. alone there’s supposed to be close to 5,000 homeless people, so that is an excellent place to start with protecting our voting rights” Kingery said.

Kingery said many people don’t realize registered voters influence the political process regardless of whether they end up casting a ballot, because candidates are “at-will employees” who should still seek their support. His site also discusses the need for citizens to understand the Constitution and Declaration of Independence so they can protect their rights and stand up to officials who violate them.

“For example, camping is protected by amendment nine because we’ve been camping in federal public lands and parks ever since we’ve had federal public lands and parks,” Kingery said, referencing an argument he made when he faced arrest for sleeping with a blanket in McPherson Square at 2:30 a.m. on May 22.

Whitehead said the National Coalition works every election season to increase the number of registered voters with lived experience of homelessness by developing a comprehensive

manual to help individuals and nonprofit organizations conduct outreach in their communities. He hopes the 2024 Voting Rights Manual, which the National Coalition developed as part of its “You Don’t Need a Home to Vote” campaign, will mobilize people to vote during a time when local government officials are making decisions about criminalizing homelessness. The National Coalition’s goal is to put voting resources “at the fingertips” of people experiencing homelessness so they feel empowered to participate.

“Especially with the emergence of the criminalization practices, we think it’s vitally important that elected officials see people experiencing homelessness as a voting block that has potential to impact local elections,” Whitehead said.

Whitehead said right now there is a “determined effort” around voter suppression at both the local and national level as politicians seek to implement polarizing policies, and diverse voter turnout is an effective way to combat these efforts.

“The number of people experiencing homelessness could drastically change our electoral process and the elected officials in communities,” he said.

Voter drives and outreach for nonprofit organizations

The National Coalition’s 2024 handbook outlines the role nonprofit organizations can play in helping register their clients, and how they can encourage voting without violating National Voter Registration Act policies. For example, nonprofit organizations cannot promote a particular party or candidate, send photocopies of voter registration forms to the elections office, or attach any additional information or forms to voter registration forms.

The handbook provides columns of “you can say” and “you can’t say” phrases to help volunteers navigate voter registration drives and ensure they are presenting the information in a nonpartisan way. It also offers a four step process for running an effective drive, including details on developing a plan for the event, preparing and publicizing the drive, filling out forms correctly, and encouraging people to vote after they’re registered.

The handbook also includes a series of questions people experiencing homelessness frequently ask, with answers below. Questions include whether they’re eligible to vote, if it’s free to register, if they need to re-register to vote, whether they need to speak English, and if they can register another person. Other logistical questions include how and when to access polling sites, how to vote by mail, and how to join a political party.

The handbook encourages nonprofit organizations to contact their city or county elections office to see if their agency is eligible to become a polling site on Election Day, as this would help clients vote without navigating transportation.

On Election Day, the handbook suggests volunteers help walk and drive people to polling locations, hold a rally that then marches to a polling site, and encourage local public transportation to offer free rides.

Resources for people experiencing homelessness who are looking to vote

On the National Coalition’s website, people can fill out personal information to check their registration status, register to vote online, request an absentee ballot, find nearby polling places, and browse information on local and national candidates.

Voters can also browse frequently asked questions to learn more about what is expected of them at the polling site and what to do if they make a mistake on the ballot, are unsure of how to answer something, or need more time in the booth.

Persistent obstacles to voting while experiencing homelessness

Even with nonprofit organizations and individuals setting up voting drives, many people experiencing homelessness struggle to obtain the proof of residence necessary to register, Whitehead said. He said personal forms of identification are often stolen, lost, or thrown away by officials during encampment clearings, and the process for obtaining new forms is a “big barrier” for people because it takes time and money. Encampment clearings often force people to change their address at a “critical time” for voter registration, Whitehead added.

“If people are constantly being moved around, the importance of education around how to get a ballot and vote is more crucial than it’s ever been,” Whitehead said.

It can also be difficult to motivate people to show up at the polls on Election Day, find correct polling sites, and ensure they know enough about the candidates to vote. The National Coalition’s handbook recommends nonprofit organizations hang signs in shelters with information on nearby polling sites, hold a candidate forum to educate people on their options, and provide information on absentee ballots.

Early and consistent outreach is the best way to mitigate the effects of voter suppression, Whitehead said. He said effective outreach involves explaining to people the impact their vote could have on policy issues they care about, and how they can overcome barriers that may have prevented them from voting in the past.

“Even if you don’t have economic means in this country or the power of the pocketbook, you have the power of the vote and that’s one of the most important powers we have,” Whitehead said.

Illustration by Leela Waehrer

Reflecting on the 2024 National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference and Capitol Hill Day

RACHELLE ELLISON, ROBERT WARREN, AND NIKILA SMITH

This year at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference 2024, I was able to do a workshop on in-the-meantime strategies. It was very informative and transformative if you were open enough. I also was one of the team captains for Washington D.C.’s Capitol Hill Day contingent, which I don’t think turned out as well as it could have. I felt like they were open to the advocacy of people with lived experience this year.

I did the workshop with the National Alliance to End Homelessness policy team. We talked about permanent supportive housing, housing first, tiny homes, safe parking, non-congregate shelters, and what we do and what we can provide to encampments while people are waiting to be matched to an organization and voucher.

I attended a workshop focused on returning citizens, and the resources available to them upon release. We learned about the obstacles placed before them once they are back into society and how we can make that transition an easier one.

Overall, the National Alliance to End Homelessness did an amazing job at this year’s conference. The plenaries were so full of energy and inspiration. It rejuvenated my spirit and the advocate in me.

We heard from Helen Cruz of Johnson v. Grant Pass on the criminalization of homelessness. She was very inspiring as she picked up after her friend who brought the suit against the state of Oregon passed away. She didn’t want to let the fight die out so she continus to carry the torch. The Supreme Court didn’t rule in our favor, but this fight is not over. Advocates all over the world stand arm and arm against to fight against policies to criminalize homelessness across the United States. We will see this decision reversed as an army of advocates stand in the gap for those who haven’t found their voice yet.

m looking back on this year’s National Alliance to End Homelessness conference and trying to see a positive way forward as there was so much focus on the Supreme Court and their decision to criminalize homelessness. Along with other decisions made by the court, I believe it had some effect on the overall mood of the conference. There seemed to be a sense of urgency to come together and address the Supreme Court decision while continuing to make common sense decisions based on the available resources for local continuums of care.

Our main focus was on how could we increase participation of those with lived expertise, most of which are members of People for Fairness Coalition and our FACE group at Street Sense Media. In the meantime, we talked about strategies, in the absence of substantial public policies, to address homelessness and move forward the overall advocacy approach to addressing homelessness in communities across the country.

The peer mentoring services offered should have a focus on how they relate to Black men, who have been historically overlooked and underfunded when it comes to housing placements

in the Continuum of Care and coordinated entry. It’s outdated when it comes to racial equity and inclusion and Black men are being overlooked, just like every year.

Some very inspirational speakers offered hope to the community through policies and innovation and suggested ways to better service those experiencing housing instability and the trauma that comes with the unhoused community, and those grappling with long-term poverty and the threat of eviction.

Capitol Hill Day was an opportunity for advocates all over the country to visit their elected representatives. This year’s Hill visit was a little chaotic, being an election year. We did get to talk to the legislative aid of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton with the hope to follow up with him in the future.

We were able to raise concerns about several different issues. D.C. is a human rights city and has the Human Right Enhancement Act, which protects unhoused people from being discriminated against. We were also able to raise some questions around a Black boy and men’s summit that was held in 2010 and some of what may have occurred to follow up on that engagement the congresswoman led. We were able to talk about universal housing rights and also other issues like returning citizens, and the scarce resources available nationwide.

Robert Warren is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

his is how I was going to open up at Capitol Hill Day on July 10:

T“D.C. said people experiencing homelessness are a protected class, so how did we get to Johnson v. Grants Pass? It’s not a slap in the face, more like sitting down in a chair removed and you hit your tailbone hard on the ground.

Racism had and has the upper hand. This is new and improved slavery. This tactic looks very familiar, working behind bars for next to nothing. Others will have you think this is not true, going from not having a criminal background to gaining an inmate number, just to get released and repeat the process of horrible treatment all over again. It’s proven it doesn’t work. Are we to believe people’s health will be taken care of behind bars? If this is true, sign me up.”

This marks the second year I’ve attended the National Alliance to End Homelessness conference that ends with Capitol Hill Day. Hill Day was a total waste of time and breath. We are disrespected on the streets and now we’re making appointments once a year for people to act like they care about serious issues. We didn’t get to meet with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and she didn’t apologize or acknowledge us but she stood still to take a picture. Where is the hope, if those who are supposed to be advocating for us on a higher level just don’t care or the fire is just gone? We need guaranteed income. We need housing. We need top-notch health care. We need equal opportunity. Everyone needs, but if those who portray themselves as fighting with us don’t believe, get out the way!!

Nikila Smith is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

Rachelle Ellison is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

Illustration by Nikila Smith

Street Sense artists and vendors attended the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference. Photo courtesy of Rachelle Ellison

Random Acts of Kindness (Returns): You never know, superheroes can be anyone!

WENDELL WILLIAMS

n Jan. 20 of this year, an incident occurred in Camps Springs, Maryland at a worldfamous fast-food restaurant chain location that sells billions of hamburgers. For legal reasons, I cannot use their name or logo but the owners want so much for the community to know how much they appreciate the random act of kindness and bravery performed by an anonymous homeless man that day. The employees were familiar with him, but no one knew his real name or story. They just knew that he was a shy, quiet, and big guy who kept to himself and had developed a sort of special friendship with one of the female managers on the evening shift. He would actually talk to her and practically no one else unless he was ordering.

OOn this early evening, a young man entered the restaurant and attempted to rob it, threatening the very same manager. The robber waved a gun, moved behind the counter, and demanded access to the registers. That’s when the man experiencing homelessness, who frequently visits that location to seek warmth and to feel a part of something, sprang into action and intervened. All were amazed as he bravely confronted the would-be robber and, after a tussle, managed to wrestle him to the floor disarm him and prevent any harm to “his friend” the manager, and the other staff members or customers. While the unhoused man who had instinctively risked his life was checking on the well-being of all the others, the assailant got up and fled the scene before anyone realized it or the police arrived. Thankfully no one was physically injured although everyone was shaken up.

What’s notable about this event is the connection the anonymous guy had with the manager. Over time, they had developed what was for him a special relationship because the manager had shown kindness to him by engaging him as a human being, one of the things you lose suffering from chronic homelessness. Occasionally she purchased him meals out of her own pocket, which happens often when people just care (go back and read some of my earlier RAOK features). To my knowledge, there were no complaints about him panhandling

there or even bothering customers at all. He would just sit there alone quietly.

Now this is when the powers of the universe and serendipity come into play. My longtime supporters know for almost six years I’ve worked as a homeless navigator on the Street Outreach Team for Prince George’s County Department of Social Services with the chronically homeless community which includes veterans, and those with addictions and mental health challenges. That restaurant is right in the middle of the area I’ve worked for years and I’ve prided myself on knowing everyone on those streets. So, the franchisee, who is a communityoriented business person, reached out to tell me about what had happened and asked if I could find “their hero” because she wanted to personally thank and reward him. It’s been a blessing and a curse to have a reputation of being able to find people,

as I’ve been asked many times to do, but actually finding a chronically homeless person can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Not wanting to disappoint her, I just said “I’ll try.”

So I asked her for a description and as soon as I got to the height and build, I knew who it was. It was my guy and I knew exactly where to find him. Although my client had given me permission to use his name and photos, I’m just going to call him Alex. He’s from Miami and said he had a house and family there but wouldn’t talk about it and I didn’t press. He had been “living” in a tent in Camp Springs, Maryland outside of the Social Security offices for almost two winters and we had developed a very close case worker-client relationship. It meant respecting his choice of refusing most or all the help available to him. He was a survivalist and you can tell his military experience helped him combat the elements he faced living outside. He wore several sets of clothing covered by a thermal jumpsuit. His camp outside of the Social Security office in Camp Springs caused a tremendous amount of email traffic from various federal agencies concerned about him living in those conditions once it was discovered that he was a veteran. From time to time, some federal bigwig would be at a meeting at that location and would call someone about him, who’d call someone, who’d call someone else, who’d then call me. And I’d have to assemble and deploy a team of officers, Veterans Affairs (VA) outreach workers, and others to once again hear him respectfully decline all offers of housing, preferring to stay in his tent.

Looking back, most people seemed to be more concerned about the optics and culture we worked in than his actual welfare, and would fail to connect with him as a human, unlike the restaurant manager he risked his life for. But you know how local government jobs go. It rolls downhill and a few weeks go by and I’d be called back out.

Turns out Alex was an Air Force vet with an honorable discharge eligible for full benefits, none of which he wanted. I tried for months to partner with a VA outreach worker who found him veterans housing, which he promptly turned down, asking that she leave. He was mad at me for bringing her along, saying he couldn’t leave that location until he got permission from a certain general at the Pentagon, and of course, I never asked his name out of respect for Alex’s wish to stay.

Alex’s bravery and selflessness on that day exemplify the best of humanity, and perhaps demonstrate the value of his military experience and training. The franchise owners were immensely grateful for his presence and quick thinking, and commended him for his extraordinary act of courage worthy of some kind of medal.

On that frightful day, Alex acted as you’d expect any person with tactical training to do. He proved that people experiencing homelessness are capable of anything anyone else can do, including being a hero if the situation calls for it. At that moment, no one cared what he looked like, how he smelled, what happened in his life, or about his housing status, which a lot of times determines how the homeless are treated. No, they were just glad he was there.

Oh, and about that reward. When he was told he could have anything he wanted, in true Alex form, he turned that down too. As I turned to walk out of the restaurant where we were meeting, he stopped me and said, “You know Wendell, I could use a new pair of boots.”

And then it happened. The week before in a “Random Act Of Kindness,” the wife of a Maryland National Guardsmen who had helped me vaccinate the homeless had just given me all his military gear because he was called to active duty in Texas and would be outfitted there. Included in the bag was a new pair of tactical boots exactly in Alex’s size.

Writer’s note: A few months later, I went back out to follow up with Alex. He had vanished without a trace and his campsite was vandalized.

Wendell Williams is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

Wendell and Alex. Photos by Wendell Williams

Alex in his tent

Alex’s tent after he vanished

Residents share their thoughts on Bruce Monroe Park, one of the last refuges against unhoused criminalization

or people experiencing homelessness, it’s not only finding a bed for the night that poses a challenge: finding a safe place to spend time during the day can feel nearly impossible, especially as D.C. implements new anti-loitering laws. In the Park View neighborhood, Bruce Monroe Park serves not only as one of the only green spaces; it’s one of the few places unhoused or housing-insecure people can spend extended time.

A proposal to develop most of the park into 462 housing units, while leaving roughly a third of the lot as parkland, was recently approved after a seven-year-long court battle. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau says the plan will create vital and affordable housing while preserving green space, and phase two of the plan would include creating a new park in the neighborhood. According to her office, 147 of the new units would be public housing and 155 would be Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Units. Community members who oppose the plans, however, worry they’re losing a vital community space.

Like many neighborhoods in D.C., Park View is growing increasingly white as rising housing costs, among other factors, push many longtime Black residents out. While new housing could help people stay in the neighborhood, the redevelopment will also impact one of the neighborhood’s few remaining places where unhoused people can spend their time.

HumanitiesDC’s community journalist Holly Harris spent time with a few of the park’s housing-insecure visitors to better understand what the space means to them and what they think should become of it. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Redz

Redz (who only goes by his nickname) has lived in the Park View neighborhood since 1963 and is currently staying at his cousin’s house. He was eager to weigh in on the importance of the park.

[The park] brings the community together, that’s the thing. Got a lot of people that love this park. They were born and raised here and they’re still here, doing things. The other day they had a festival up here. I heard about it and I happened to walk on, and it was so beautiful. You got people come up here and help other people. People come up here feeding people, because people need people, and that’s what they need to realize. You take this park away, what you think is gonna happen? Where the dogs gonna go at? Where these people gonna have to exercise?

Redz was briefly distracted by a man named Cory, who was loudly exclaiming to himself. Every day you come to this park, and you hear guys like him talking [referencing Cory]. But that’s alright. Nobody’s getting hurt, nobody’s shooting and stuff. So really that’s pretty safe compared to a lot of other parks. Kids go out and play and they could be in danger, but they don’t have any issues up here. It’s kinda tough down here [in D.C.] because we got a lot of violence down here, but this park aids the younger kids.

HOLLY HARRIS

HumanitiesDC Community Journalist

Bruce Monroe Park is one of few green spaces in the Park View neighborhood. Photos by Holly Harris

Redz has lived in Park View since 1963.

Redz and his friend of over 40 years, Daryl.

Michael McKay

McKay is originally from Maryland but was fostered by a family in D.C., where he lived until he aged out of the child welfare system. He’d been unhoused for a month when Street Sense spoke to him in June, spending most of his time in Park View. While he worries about the impact of the park’s development on the neighborhood’s unhoused, he doesn’t think it will be all negative. It’s one of the few places on Georgia Avenue where you could go and you’re not loitering.

I feel like [removing the park] would drive up crime because people can’t stand in one place, you can’t just chill. You can’t just stay in one place and do nothing, you know, if you don’t have anything really positive to do? Yeah, I guess negative would be the alternative.

A couple minutes ago, two police officers came up, like drove up on us for no reason at all. I think it’ll probably just increase their presence. There’ll be a whole lot of increased police presence to clean it up. And you know, maybe it’s for the good. Maybe it’ll push brothers inside the park to get it together a little.

Teaune Williams

Williams currently resides with his wife in Southeast D.C. by way of a housing voucher, but he enjoys visiting the park to fellowship with his peers, which is part of why he believes this space is important.

Not everybody know what they want to do inside of a day, not everybody knows who their friends are. So sometimes people just kind of want to be around people but not actually talk. Recently, they just got a grill and everything, and they was grilling out here, and everybody kind of put in, like, everybody who had food stamps went and got them something to put onto that grill. And I thought that was beautiful. Like, these are more family than your family. I think that it’s just more of like, we’ve known each other. These people have been in addiction, and out of addiction, you get what I’m saying, so they became family. I’m talking about anybody that came inside that park that day. They was giving out hamburgers and hot dogs too. They didn’t care who you was.

This story was produced through HumanitiesDC’s Community Journalism Program.

The park boasts green space, basketball courts, tennis courts, and a community garden.

Teaune Williams comes to the park to find community.

Michael McKay has spent a lot of time in Bruce Monroe Park since becoming unhoused.

Michael McKay sits next to his friend BJ, facing the camera, at the park.

How a staged transformation recast the worst vice president as a pro-Black feminist icon and champion for the people

JEFFERY MCNEIL

efore anyone accuses me of being an “Uncle Ruckus” or hating Black people, let me be clear: I’m speaking to those who don’t follow CNN or Morning Joe, which encourage their shrinking audiences to vote based on race and gender rather than on policies that genuinely benefit those demographics. This isn’t about denying representation; it’s about prioritizing genuine progress over symbolic gestures for the Black community. We need strong families, quality education, economic prosperity, and safe neighborhoods — not just more Chicagos, New Yorks, and Baltimores.

BThere is a palpable fear in challenging this narrative, a worry that expressing these opinions might alienate readers or subscribers. Yet, I find myself at a crossroads. I can’t remain silent, even if it means losing support. The prospect of Kamala Harris as president is a bridge too far. If my stance costs me followers, so be it. The truth must be spoken, especially when the nation’s future is at stake.

Before being labeled as a pro-Black, equality-for-all feminist, wasn’t this the same Kamala Harris who locked up Black men for trivial offenses like smoking weed, all while giggling about her own past use? Her recent portrayal as a potential leader has been a majestic and horrifying spectacle. This transformation into a figure of grace and sophistication, as if the casting couch met the Oscars, has been jarring. We cannot allow media narratives to gloss over what some consider to be the worst vice presidency in history and seriously contemplate entrusting her with the strongest military in the world and nuclear codes. It’s unbelievable, appalling, and horrifying that a nation would consider a Harris presidency. We can’t do this.

The narrative shift has been astonishing, as if Harris’s controversial past has been airbrushed to present her as a saintly figure, reminiscent of Grace Kelly. Observing this transformation, I feel like I’m in the eye of a storm, surrounded by a society that has lost its collective mind.

How did we reach a point where half the nation is considering Kamala Harris for the presidency? This is the same Harris who appeared disconnected and was mocked during her visit to Puerto Rico, and who has been notably absent from critical international engagements, raising questions about her competence. Some supporters suggest that her gender alone is a sufficient qualification, ignoring the potential ramifications of such a simplistic criterion. They seem unconcerned about the looming threats from global powers like China, Russia, and Iran, focusing instead on symbolic representation.

The concerns extend beyond foreign policy. Her track record on issues like illegal immigration is problematic. How can we justify prioritizing the influx of illegal immigrants over the welfare of struggling American citizens? Walking through Washington, D.C., I see the homeless being pushed aside while resources are diverted, ostensibly under Harris’s influence.

Some celebrate the Biden administration’s appointment of more minorities than any previous administration as a triumph. But what does this mean in practical terms? Has this diversity led to real improvements in the lives of people of color, or is it merely symbolic? I care less about the ethnicity of those in power and more about the results they deliver. I want economic growth, job opportunities, and a secure future—not just token representation.

We cannot allow divisive issues like abortion laws in Texas to sway our nation. This is an “all hands on deck” moment for

everyone who believes in the American dream — hard work, opportunity, and the chance to succeed. While I support helping those in need, the best help is empowerment, not dependency.

The recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was a shocking reminder of the dangerous rhetoric that has infiltrated our society. After years of vilifying him and demonizing his supporters, such an attack seemed almost inevitable. Yet, even now, the media hasn’t toned down its hostility, continuing to portray the other side as villains.

As we consider the potential candidacy of Kamala Harris, we must question the sincerity behind her rebranding. If she is as competent and ready as some claim, why hasn’t Biden stepped aside? The Democratic Party is at a critical juncture. Pushing Harris as a candidate could fracture the party, aligning more with donor interests than everyday voters’ concerns. Instead of a pragmatic choice like Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly, the focus seems to be maintaining a high-profile, charismatic image to counter Trump.

The Democratic base is far from united. Many question Harris’s qualifications and her capacity to lead. The handling of her potential candidacy, along with internal party dynamics, will significantly impact the upcoming election. As an observer, I watch these developments with a sense of trepidation, uncertain of what the future holds.

Ultimately, the fate of the Democratic Party and the country hinges on how these narratives unfold. Will the reimagining of Kamala Harris succeed, or will it falter under scrutiny and reality? Only time will tell.

Jeffery Mcneil is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

PEACEFUL TOBIAS Artist/Vendor

TASHA SAVOY Artist/Vendor

Education on “white passing” and white supremacy

INVISIBLE PROPHET

Artist/Vendor

Content warning: This article discusses racism, racial slurs, and sexual assault. As a social construct, we are taught to inherit intergenerational hate. When I was in my 20s, a white, third cousin who was a Vietnam vet (mother’s side) told me with a slither of words, “I am lucky to look white and not look like a N***** (Black) or S*** (Hispanic) because he would kill, rape, hang, and burn me in the south. He’ll get away with it because of his white supremacy.”

Since I’ve been in D.C., the scapegoat has been, “I am racist, I am white” because this and past generations are privileged; they have no idea what lived experience of racism is.

Why do I say this? Until 20 years ago, laws such as the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act have been vital stepping stones in protecting humanity in the United States. The whitewashed part of history teaches societal hate and divides us by saying, “Oh, slavery was abolished.” It was not. Indentured servants was and is modern slavery, especially when the plans were changed to, “Let’s dress them up in pretty and expensive attire. Let’s use God and the Bible to control truths.” As a reader you can create a narrative, “I am dismissing racism and slavery;” whatever!!

Here’s a point of view: a month ago the shelter where I lived had the clients say “I am a racist.” The opposing view is I witnessed homeless men hang around the shelter, lure an elderly mentally unstable Black woman behind the shelter, and rape her. Where were the clients and staff then? They did not report the rape or provide assistance for the woman. No one gets a pass, especially when Black, brown, white or other people who are enablers, rapists, sex offenders, and traffickers call me racist. Don’t hide behind your lack of education and ignorance of your sinful grotesque behavior taking advantage of the mental health community. What does not set you free is the continuous diarrhea of “All white people are racist.”

Working 9 to 5

TONYA WILLIAMS

Artist/Vendor

Working 9 to 5 is good hours. The simple fact is you don’t have to get up so early you and you get home around the time dinner is prepared. There’s quality time with your family. Enjoy the moments with family. Have fun, relax, and get prepared for the next day.

That’s my 9 to 5 thoughts.

Actually, RACISM (HATE) is universal in all cultures and backgrounds and inherited.

In my late 30s another white, racist, third cousin told me, “I should date my own kind, not outside my race.”

Inherited teachings are not mine to own. I flipped her the middle finger and said never be in my business. White little boys become angry and stalkers because I choose not to date within the “white chaos.” Anglo-Saxon “men,” I will not entertain the inherited teachings of “white superiority and Black inferiority” when I was graciously taught Black history by beautiful Black women as a child at a predominantly Black school.

I taught myself that social colorism and complexities are not the way of life. Learning about Black history between Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and others helped educate me on why my skin is olive. My father is Black and my mother is white. Even as a child, the Black and brown communities furthered the cycle of hate when they saw me or my parents. Government chaos and control teaches us only Black and brown humanity deals with hate (racism). Due to the lack of education, everyone within their own communties, especially the white community, deals with hate.

In the expansion of humanity as one, there is the African diaspora of skin bleaching, like in Latin America, Central America; etc., and the matter of being inherently taught to marry whiter. Then the white passing stories of people such as Anita Hemmings, Harry S. Murphy, Elsie Roxborough, and Anatole Broyard. Another informative piece is Gail Lukasik’s book after researching genealogical records on her mother, who was white-passing “White Like Her,” and also Elie Wiesel’s book “Night.”

I was taught by Black, brown and white professors to think outside the box and never listen to the chaos of whitewashed

Be different

DARLESHA JOYNER

Artist/Vendor

People with disabilities such as autism and mental learning problems should have stores where things are designed just for them. Too often disabled people cannot shop with an aide or an attendant. So more stores should establish certain hours and days just for those that are disabled or seniors.

Love and admiration

BRIANNA BUTLER

Artist/Vendor

You are a special person. Your smile makes me flicker. Your kiss makes my body shiver. Your hugs make my heart quiver in your warmth. Your photos make me shoot for the stars trying to surpass the work you do. Your actions uplift and bless my shortcomings. Because of you, I strive to become a better rather than a bitter person.

I like it when we give to others who need our help. You smile so brightly when you give flowers to plant and decorate your table of golden blessings. You put shoes and clothes on me with care like nobody’s business. We are great together as time flourishes!

history. An African woman from Haiti taught me the truth about slavery where their tribe’s chiefs sold their people to the Anglo-Saxon European devils. You see, we can all learn from each other instead of continuing an outdated toxic cycle of hate and psychological stupidity.

Do you know Carolyn Bryant? A young Black boy whistled at a white woman, the white Anglo-Saxon men hunted that little Black boy, his face smashed and unrecognizable.

If I were a racist, where would you be today?

As vendors and readers, you live in Jim Crow psychological warfare. Jim Crow laws in the United States from 1865 to 1968 legalized racial segregation. They use humanity to fulfill their prophecy of… can you see beyond white superiority?

The true

SAUL PRESA Artist/Vendor

The true love only came from God

Even we believe that we love God

But sometimes we hate our friends

Where is the love we profess at the end

Be kind to our neighbors

Does not mean we are friends

We can fly on a board

And kill them at the end

Words come so easy

So is the sword

Be nice to everybody

It’s my last word

Graphic by Invisible Prophet

Myself

MICHAEL PENNYCOOK Artist/Vendor

Hello beautiful people,

I’m Michael from Jamaica. I just returned to Street Sense a few weeks ago. I sold and wrote in the Street Sense paper once a month. I remember Street Semse opening a lot of doors for me. I had my own place for 11 years, then everything changed.

I use to drive a crabtruck from Maryland to New Orleans. I delivered crabs and shrimp. It’s been three years now, but on the way back from New Orleans we stopped in Virginia because I was very sleepy. So I switched to let the other guy drive. So we gassed up and I jumped in the passenger seat and went to sleep. Fifteen minutes later I woke up to the truck going into flip mode and the truck flipped three times. Let me tell you, all that happened was my finger was cut open but I got it stitched at the hospital. So I had to go to theapy for nine months and I ended up losing my place and becoming homeless again. Let me tell you being homeless is the worst feeling. I can’t explain to you guys how I feel everyday you have to be strong out here to survive. I have a 13-year-old son and I’m trying to get back in his life. I have not seen my son in two years, now. As a man it hurts me so much that I can’t be in his life. I made a lot of dumb mistakes when I was growing up. Getting locked up a lot. Now, when I try to get a regular job nobody will give me a chance. So thank God for Street Sense, they are giving me a chance to let people know my status so I can get some help and work on being in my son’s life.

Time to observe ourselves

DEGNON DOVONOU Artist/Vendor

Around the world and in our country, the United States of America, people invest billions in election transparency and the observation of elections. Democracy returns us to the electoral system in order to avoid contestation (conflict).

Running across the city to observe the pre-election period, we noticed the processes were looking good. Different candidates and parties deployed different tendencies to capture votes. Flyers, banners, and posters are posted side by side.

Let’s be proud of our electoral system. Let’s continue to be a model for nations of the world. Electorally speaking, we vote democratically. We should stand republicanly, we will build united, we’re strong Americans.

Living

Why lie?

Honesty is the best policy. It can hurt to tell the truth but when you tell the truth you have nothing to worry about. You don’t have to make up a story because what you have is already the truth.

I learned a long time ago to not tell a lie when I tried to lie to my dad. He found out the truth and gave me a spanking. One that I can remember even now. So do us all a favor, be honest and tell the truth.

The long hot summer in August

July and August are the two hottest summer months. People drink lots of water to stay hydrated. People are staying inside their homes or taking a trip out of town to

When I was a teenager, my folks and I would drive down to Okuma Beach. We lived in Okinawa, Japan. My sister and I went swimming on the beach and water skiing. And that was a lot of fun. We stayed at a beach house and we enjoyed our

We also lived in Bangkok, Thailand in Southeast Asia. We as a family took a trip to Papaya Beach and took pictures of me holding the ski board at

the beach. We stayed at a beach house and enjoyed water skiing. We walked the boardwalk and took pictures too.

When I got older my sister, her future husband, his sister, and I drove three hours down into South Carolina to Myrtle Beach. I took a lot of pictures and went swimming wearing my goggles. We stayed at my sister’s friend’s parent’s beach house. It was spacious and beautiful. We took the dogs and we walked the sandy beach. I went sightseeing, ate in a fine restaurant, and shopped in stores on the beach boardwalk. We drove three hours back safely. I showed the people I cared about the things I brought.

Happy hot summer and drink bottles of water. Stay safe.

DENNIS GIRARD

JOSIE BROWN Artist/Vendor

MARC GRIER Artist/Vendor

Alligator snapping turtle was a show stopper for me at the zoo

LADY SASHA Artist/Vendor

Most of the animals were napping but this thing moved around and was up. Some exhibits were not available. I wonder where the animals go while they renovate or the animals aren’t being shown for just whatever reason. I was able to do something with my daughters while dealing with whatever I have going on....

Anyhow, it was nice. If it wasn’t raining as much I would have took more photos. But this alligator snapping turtle was number one for me. This pictures turned out better than the video but to see the snapping turtle in action was exciting for me. I think I enjoyed it more than the girls did.

A psalm to Vice President Kamala Harris

Mama tents

LATICIA BROCK Artist/Vendor

To all my babies who died out in the streets or in the jails.

Blessed you will be as you stay faithful, just, and strong to yourself, family, friends.

Blessed you will be as you will be the bread and water for many.

Blessed you will be as you stand peacefully against the wicked, the wiles and the loud noises of the evil ones.

Bless, blessings, and blessed you will be.

Due to my scars deep down I wipe my eyes with tissue. I wanted to be a natural mother but I’m still able to love someone else’s child no matter how society labels me. This is an issue for the hard-headed people when they call me Mama Tents when they greet me. I feel so good when I can stop something law enforcement cannot they can be tough as nails but they love me no matter how I smell.

Stop hurting

1. Stop hurting babies, children, and teens.

2. Love one another.

3. Help the community.

I’ve seen a lot of my people come and go and a lot of them died which don’t make no sense to me.

I pray for them because I am still Mama Tents.

4. We need more police.

5. We need more love.

6. Love God, because you are going to need him all over the world.

Interception at the intersection

The turning point for me, from staying in a shelter to being straight out in the streets was when I was paying $3 a night to stay at the Gospel Rescue Mission. I felt it was a bit classier than the other shelters and locations. Although none of the others charged any type of fee as far as I was aware of. It was downtown, a few blocks away from the main attraction of the Verizon Center, at the time, now known as the Capital One Arena. I felt it was a good place to be and I was in good company. I blended in with the good team atmosphere of the Mystics.

I ended up leaving due to increasing pressure to shower in a group shower of men. I wasn’t with it. Anyway, it all came to a head one night and I left! I would tend to be the last one up when he pressed the issue. As I left I saw a fella with brand new sneakers and a sheet covering his head and I thought he deserves my spot!

I should of had plenty of friends that would cover me but the fact remains it’s been solely the government and its programs, Street Sense and Second Story Cards as well as social security! Thank GOD for the fortitude, inner might, guts, and strength! In the name of my brethren Jesus Christ, CESUZ Nice!

LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE Artist/Vendor

Photo by Lady Sasha

GRETA CHRISTIAN Artist/Vendor

MELODY BYRD Artist/Vendor

FUN & GAMES

It’s Simply Unbelievable

Across

1. Wearing apparel accessory that may hold one’s smart phone (2 wds.)

9. Awards show hosts

15. Estimate too highly (ERA VOTER anagram)

16. Mexican shawl (var.)

17. Pass on the next dance, say (3 wds.) (3,2,3)

18. “Knock that off!” (2 wds.) (4,2)

19. Tiebreakers, briefly

20. Ukr. and Lith., once (abbr./initialism)

21. Bygone blades that sound like a hayfever symptom

22. Handle roughly

24. Highchair wear

26. First in a 25 spyfi-film series (2,2)

27. So-called “master gland” of the endocrine system

31. Country rtes. (abbr.)

33. “Hip Hop Is Dead” artist

34. B’way hit sign (abbr./initialism)

35. Enclosures to an ed. (abbr./initialism)

36. Hired assassin’s equipment collection (2 wds.) (3,3)

39. Birdbrain (2 wds.) (3,3)

41. Addition column

42. Chicago trains, briefly

45. Abbr. on car seller’s license plates

46. Device for taping TV shows (abbr./ initialism)

47. What one may be directed to do to a particular provision prior to signing a vehicle rental contract (2 wds.) (7,2)

50. “How many roads must ____ walk down...” (2 wds.) (1,3)

52. Big coffee holder

53. Six-time Rocket Richard Award winner Esposito of the Black Hawks, Bruins and Rangers

56. Jockey’s wear

58. Floating, perhaps

61. Wallach of “The Magnificent Seven” and “The Holiday”

62. Big name in wearable activity-tracking tech

63. Like one making far-fetched or totally misinformed claims...or this puzzle? (3 wds.) (4,2,2)

65. Skin care brand promoted by Jennifer Aniston

66. Three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Linda of the 80s who hosted “Nick News”

67. Los Angeles suburb mentioned in Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” (SEARED anagram)

68. Controversial strength builders Down

1. ____ buddy (BFF)

2. 1996 Madonna musical

3. Begins to abate, as heavy rainfall (2 wds.) (4,2) (PELT US anagram)

4. Prefix for an athlete in a swim-bike-run event

LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION

5. Bulky old PC screens, for short (abbr./ initialism)

6. Golden Triangle country (ALSO anagram)

7. Classical Spanish pianist Jose

8. Play nanny to a neighbor’s Newfypoo, say (2 wds.) (3,4)

9. Honorifics for attys. (abbr.)

10. ___ Thursday (March 28th, in 2024)

11. Bygone maker of announcements

12. Like steak tartare (2 wds.) (5,3) (WET ARENA anagram)

13. Start of a TV series (2 wds.) (7,1)

14. Congeal, as gelatin

23. Connections in blue?

25. Grill partner

28. Mai ___

29. Highway through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan (2 wds.) (2,3) (incls. abbr.) (TUNES anagram)

30. Mixed martial artist Rousey

32. Retired flier

35. Word after Las Vegas or New York

36. Brick or coal carrier

37. Like biopsies and other internal surgery (VIA VEINS anagram)

38. Home wreckers with antennae

40. Under the weather

43. Lucy of “Charlie’s Angels,” 2000

44. Attacks carried out by low-flying aircraft

47. Equitable way to return a favor (2 wds.) (2,4)

48. Virtually every remark made by the late comedian Don Rickles

49. Nat’l. crime-fighting grp. headed by Christopher Wray since 2017 (2 wds.) (3,3) (incls. abbr./initialism)

51. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward who wrote “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

54. Confession of a taciturn prevaricator (2 wds.) (1,4)

55. Reduced-calorie beers

57. Ancient colonnade (OATS anagram)

59. Popular fashion magazine

60. A Blue Jay or an Oriole, but not a Cardinal (abbr./initialism)

62. So near and yet so ____...

64. “___ y Plata” (Montana’s motto) (Sp.) Pitchfork-shaped letters of the Greek alphabet

This crossword puzzle is the original work of Patrick “Mac”McIntyre. It is provided to us courtesy of Real Change News, a street paper based in Seattle, Washington. Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Academy of Hope Public Charter School

202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Pl. NE

202-373-0246 // 421 Alabama Ave. SE aohdc.org

Bread for the City 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 1700 Marion Barry Ave., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Marion Barry Ave., SE calvaryservices.org

Catholic Charities // 202-772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp

Central Union Mission // 202-745-7118 65 Massachusetts Ave., NW missiondc.org

Charlie’s Place // 202-929-0100 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org

Christ House // 202-328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd., NW christhouse.org

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

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

Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 4 Atlantic St., NW communityofhopedc.org

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

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

Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 North Capitol St., NW fathermckennacenter.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277

(home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW foundryumc.org/idministry

Identification services

Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave., NW friendshipplace.org

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

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9096 1526 Pennslyvania Ave., SE jobshavepriority.org

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Rd, SE

2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

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

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

N Street Village // 202-939-2076 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

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

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

Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org

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

Sasha Bruce Youthwork // 202-675-9340 741 8th St., SE sashabruce.org

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

St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-363-4900 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

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

Unity Health Care unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699

1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 850 Delaware Ave., SW, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 1151 Bladensburg Rd., NE, 4515 Edson Pl., NE

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

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

Whitman-Walker Health 1525 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 1201 Sycamore Dr., SE whitman-walker.org

Woodley House // 202-830-3508 2711 Connecticut Ave., NW

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

Burlington // 3100 14th St. NW

Part-time

Maintain a positive and professional attitude and work to deliver excellent customer service that addresses all the customer’s needs while getting them through the check-out process quickly and easily.

REQUIRED: Candidates must be able to work a flexible schedule; including nights, weekends, and holidays as required.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/DCBurlington Airport Credentialing Agent

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority // 2401 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Rd.

Full-time

Review applications for and issue airport employee security identification (ID) badges as part of the Airport Security credentialing program, and perform related functions.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or GED. Two years performing general clerical support work.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/AirportCredentialsJob Concierge

NVT Staffing // DMV

Full-time/ Part-time

Must easily be able to interact with residents and guests in a confident, courteous, and pleasant manner. Strong computer literacy and multitasking are essential. This position requires attention to detail, reliability, thoroughness, and an “it’s my pleasure” attitude.

REQUIRED: All candidates must pass a criminal background check. Fair Housing Certification required (If you do not have the certification, NVT offers a $40 certification program.)

APPLY: tinyurl.com/NVTConcierge

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