Volume 13: Issue 21 August 24 - September 6, 2016
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Restaurant owner changes mindsets to end poverty pg 5
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Street Sense is the street media center of our nation’s capital. We aim to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are facing homelessness in our community.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES www.StreetSense.org • A c l o s e l o o k a t Fo o d Stamps with Vendor/Artist Ken Martin: streetsense.org • S e n i o r c i t i z e n k e p t homeless for years pursuing her social security benefits finally receives relief: shared via @streetsensedc • Join us for an explosion of creativity at our 2016 celebration! streetsense.org
COVER ART Aida Basnight demos Fruitcycle and Together We Bake products at Whole Foods. PHOTO BY RODNEY CHOICE
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OUR STORY Street Sense began in August 2003 after Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions with the idea to start a street paper in Washington, D.C. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003. In 2005, Street Sense achieved 501 ( c ) 3 status as a nonprofit organization, formed a board of directors and hired a full-time executive director. Today, Street Sense is published every two weeks through the efforts of four salaried employees, more than 100 active vendors, and dozens of volunteers. Nearly 30,000 copies are in circulation each month.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Margaret Chapman, Max Gaujean, Margaret Jenny, Robyn Kerr, Jennifer Park, Reed Sandridge, Jeremy Scott, John Senn, Kate Sheppard, Annika Toenniessen, Martin Totaro, Anne Willis EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brian Carome EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Falquero COMMUNICATIONS & SALES MANAGER Jeffrey Gray VENDOR MANAGER Josh Maxey COORDINATOR OF EVENTS & AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Dani Gilmour INTERNS Katlyn Alapati, Rokia Hassanein, Jacqueline Groskaufmanis, Kim Szarmach WRITERS GROUP LEADERS Donna Daniels, Susan Orlins, Willie Schatz EDITORIAL BOARD Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Britt Peterson EDITORIAL & PAPER SALES VOLUNTEERS Jane Cave, Cheryl Chevalier, Nathalia Cibotti, Pat Geiger, Roberta Haber, Mary Henkin, Karen Houston, Erum Jilani, Leonie Peterkin, Hannah Northey, Jesselyn Radack, Andrew Siddons, Jackie Thompson, Marian Wiseman, Eugene Versluysen, Alex Zielinski VENDORS Shuhratjon Ahamadjonov, Gerald Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Aida Basnight, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Melanie Black, Phillip Black Jr., Maryann Blackmon, Viktor Blokhine, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Donald Brown, Joan Bryant, Elizabeth Bryant, Brianna Butler, Melody Byrd, Conrad Cheek, Aaron Colbert, Anthony Crawford, Walter Crawley, Kwayera Dakari, James Davis, Clifton Davis, Charles Davis, David Denny, James DeVaughn, Ricardo Dickerson, Dennis Diggs, Alvin Dixon-El, Ronald Dudley, Charles Eatmon, Deana Elder, Julie Ellis, Jemel Fleming, Chon Gotti, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Tyrone Hall, Richard Hart Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Jerry Hickerson, Ray Hicks, Sol Hicks, Rachel Higdon, Ibn Hipps, Leonard Hyater, Joseph Jackson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Harold Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, Morgan Jones, Linda Jones, Darlesha Joyner, Juliene Kengnie, Kathlene Kilpatrick, Hope Lassiter, John Littlejohn, James Lott, Scott Lovell, Michael Lyons, Jimmy M. Ken Martin, Joseph Martin, Kina Mathis, Michael Lee Matthew, Authertimer Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Jermale McKnight, Jeffery McNeil, Ricardo Meriedy, Cynthia Mewborn, Kenneth Middleton, Cecil More, L. Morrow, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Earl Parkin, Lucifer Potter, Ash-Shaheed Rabil, Henrieese Roberts, Anthony Robinson, Doris Robinson, Raquel Rodriquez, Lawrence Rogers, Joseph Sam, Chris Shaw, Patty Smith, Smith Smith, Gwynette Smith, Ronald Smoot, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens James Stewart, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Archie Thomas, Shernell Thomas, Craig Thompson, Eric Thompson-Bey, Sarah TurleyColin, Carl Turner, Jacqueline Turner, Leon Valentine, Grayla Vereen, Ron Verquer, Martin Walker, Michael Warner, Robert Warren, Angelyn Whitehurst, William Whitsett, Wendell Williams, Sasha Williams, Judson Williams III, Ivory Wilson, Denise Wilson, Charles Woods
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STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
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NEWS IN BRIEF HSRA Draft Undergoes Further Review
Little Interest in Winter Plan During Heat Wave
The Homeless Services Reform Act (HSRA) of 2005 underwent its third session for feedback and revision on August 11. The HSRA defines the responsibilities of city-funded homeless services providers and consumers of those services — including the right to shelter in extreme cold. This was the first in-depth discussion, following two general interest meetings held in July. Government and private service agencies discussed clarity of language, measures to be taken with non-compliant clients and how to better transition clients to long-term housing programs. The Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), a group created by the original HSRA, hosted the session and focused on issues raised in more than 500 written comments submitted in July. ICH funneled the comments down to nine topics of discussion:
Members of the Emergency Response and Shelter Operations (ERSO) Committee gathered for public feedback on their draft of the 20162017 Winter Plan. However, the meeting proceeded similarly to a team review of the draft, as only three members of the public attended. The Winter Plan is the city’s annual plan to provide shelter to the homeless during a hypothermia alert, which is triggered when the forecasted temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit with precipitation. ERSO, a committee under the Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), agreed they would have to confirm with partnering agencies to clarify the situations appropriate for calling the Shelter Hotline and Mobile Crisis Service so that responders would not be overwhelmed by calls that should have been directed to a different agency.
• Emergency termination and imminent threat • Program exits • Suspension • Termination when client abandons unit/placement • Presumptive eligibility • Definition of resident of the District • Making terminations more meaningful/effective • Definition of “family” • Definition of “resident” Attendees included members of the Department of Human Services (DHS), Catholic Charities, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Pathways to Housing, T h e C o m m u n i t y Pa r t n e r s h i p f o r the Prevention of Homelessness, Wa s h i n g t o n L e g a l C l i n i c f o r t h e Homeless, Coalition for the Homeless and D.C. Alliance of Youth Advocates. Questions were raised about how to effectively enforce client compliance, but no official conclusions were reached. Significant time was spent discussing how to keep services and facilities safe for all clients and how to resolve the fact that suspension from programs could mean taking away essential services from the violator. ICH will host two additional feedback sessions, one at 10:00 a.m. August 25 and another at 9:00 a.m. September 8. Both sessions will be at the DHS building at 64 New York Avenue, NE. More information can be found on the ICH event calendar. The draft HSRA “modernization” suggestions that are developed at these meetings will be introduced to D.C. Council later this year. —Katlyn Alapati
“Preacherman” Lance Johnson and local attorney Jane Zara. PHOTO BY KATLYN ALAPATI
All Charges Dismissed for Street Preacher By Katlyn Alapati Editorial Intern U.S. Attorney Angela George dismissed all charges against street preacher Lance Johnson at his hearing, August 17 at the U.S. District Court. Johnson had entered the same courthouse May 18, unhoused and strapped with four citations from U.S. Park Police, and left three months later, a housed street preacher without any court hearings in his calendar. “By the grace of God,” Johnson said of his hearing outcome. “I’m happy.” At the previous hearing, George requested the case remain open until August so that Johnson could find housing using a federal voucher he had recently received. With that contingency fulfilled and his proof of housing submitted, Johnson can now focus on collecting the items from his “street ministry” which were confiscated and held as evidence since his arrest on March 3. Johnson received federal citations for “violating camping conditions,” “camping outside of a designated area,” “violating closures and public use limits” and “creating or maintaining a hazardous environment” for his tent and street ministry that were located in Murrow Park, near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and H Street NW. The last listed citation has been a source of particular frustration for Johnson. Johnson was “camping and impeding use of the park — thus creating a hazardous condition,” Sergeant Anna Rose, the D.C. Park Police’s Public Information Officer, told Street Sense in an email in May. “There was no item in particular that was deemed hazardous.” Johnson believes that Park Police issued the “hazardous environment” citation
in order to withhold his possessions as evidence, rather than release them the same day he was released from police custody, as had been the case during previous arrests. Of the 13 times Park Police have filed a report on an incident involving Johnson since November 2014, four have resulted in his arrest. Of those four arrests, officers reported one instance of releasing Johnson’s possessions to him when he left police custody. Without knowledge of his cases, Rose said she could not comment on Johnson’s claim that his items were always returned to him upon his release. However, she wrote, “When objects seized in the course of an arrest are deemed as evidence of the crime, then those objects are held until the criminal proceedings are concluded, or a judge orders the items returned.” At the May 18 hearing, George claimed to have attempted to contact Johnson to return his belongings. However after that hearing, the return of his “ministry,” along with the dismissal of charges, became contingent upon securing housing by August 17. Now, with the final hearing past, both Johnson and a local attorney that has helped him review documents, Jane Zara, have a lot of praise to lend the prosecution team. “I was delighted with how efficient the prosecutor [George] treated the case,” Zara said in an interview. “She really simplified the process, and the communication was great.” Although he now has a place to rest his head, Johnson plans to continue holding his ministry in Murrow Park.
A d d i t i o n a l l y, E R S O m e m b e r s considered deleting the 1-800 Shelter Hotline number, in favor of directing all calls to a local 202 phone number. However, the committee did not reach a final decision. ICH executive director Kristy Greenwalt reported that during the 2014-2015 winter season, 45 percent of the 151 days during hypothermia season warranted hypothermia alerts. She noted that this number was unusual; in past years approximately 70 percent of winter season days typically triggered hypothermia alerts. Nechama Masliansky of So Others Might Eat (SOME) noted that the accuracy of needed shelter service estimates had improved in recent years. ERSO will review the Winter Plan draft again on August 24 at 1 p.m. at the Department of Human Services office, 64 New York Avenue NE. This will be the final meeting before the committee presents the Winter Plan to ICH for approval on September 13 at 1 p.m. at a location that is to be determined. —Katlyn Alapati
Vote for Barry Farm Predevelopment Funding Postponed APPETITE FOR GO-GO: Celebrating The Barry Farms residents do a lot of hurry up and wait. They wait for the Green Line Metro to cross the Anacostia River into downtown D.C. They wait for their homes to be upturned from land that has been earmarked for gentrification for years And, on August 18, they waited for the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) Board of Commissioners to file into the boardroom, 40 minutes late for their “emergency meeting” and with only five commissioners in attendance, the minimum needed for a quorum. The board called the emergency meeting to hear testimony from the public and vote on Resolution 16-14, which would allow the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) to provide DCHA $13 million to finance predevelopment of Barry Farm public housing. The money would cover “permitting; planning; and horizontal (infrastructure) and vertical engineering,” according to the resolution draft. However, after more than an hour of testimony from Barry Farm residents and concerned community members, Chairman Terri Thompson tabled the vote until further outreach could be done. In her opening statement, Adrianne Todman, DCHA executive director, said predevelopment funding would also finance case management for relocating residents, “so that we can treat them respectfully and with compassion … [The resolution] will inform the details of a more stringent relocation plan.” For some community members present, Todman’s statement was insufficient reassurance. Through testimony, complaints included the lack of a relocation plan, the short notice of the board meeting, the current conditions at Barry Farm and the redevelopment project as a whole. Aja Taylor, advocacy director at Bread for the City, said the emergency board meeting returned skepticism to residents who had seen the unanimous passing of Resolution 16-06 in March 2016 as a beacon of hope. “[16-06] was, to us, an indication that, for the first time, there would be an opportunity to prevent the rampant displacement that has become synonymous with public housing redevelopment nationwide,” Taylor said. Resolution 16-06 authorized the DCHA Board of Commissioners to create a relocation and right-to-return plan for New Communities Initiative (NCI) properties. Taylor said that pushing for predevelopment funding before meeting the standard set by Resolution 16-06 was “putting the cart before the horse.” “The whole reason why 16-06 made sense and the reason why so many people advocated for it is because it was in recognition that sometimes we skip steps, very important steps, that lead to destroying people’s lives,” Taylor said. “And we can’t afford to skip steps like that.” Predevelopment funding is needed in order to tailor families’ relocation plans to
their needs, according to Todman. In an emotional testimony, previous Barry Farm resident Michelle Hamilton asked why the board could not approve a plan that allowed residents to be relocated to the empty units on site during redevelopment. There are 432 total units in Barry Farms, of which 235 were occupied at the end of 2015, reported District Dig. “I can’t sleep at night, wondering if these people are going to have a place to stay,” Hamilton said. Residents also complained about the poor notice of the emergency meeting provided to the community, saying many of them were notified one or two days prior and not by someone from DCHA. “It’s beneath the dignity of a housing authority to conduct business during last minute emergency sessions when the impacted residents are telling you that they did not receive adequate notification,” testified Margaret Dwyer, a concerned D.C. resident. DCHA notified everyone who signed up to testify at previous board meetings regarding the Barry Farm property, according to Todman. Dwyer also called the resolution “incorrect by omission.” “You fail to acknowledge that [the master plan approved December 2014 and referenced in 16-14] is … very much in dispute and should not be implemented without a clear agreement of residents’ rights,” Dwyer said. DCHA could not be immediately reached for comment on Dwyer’s claims. Barry Farm resident Paulette Matthews claimed repairs made in currently occupied units were insufficient. She said her neighbor’s ceiling collapsed and that maintenance covered the hole with a tarp. Matthews interpreted the inadequate repairs as an attempt to inspire residents to relocate on their own. “Stop shuffling us aside,” Matthews said. “We are human beings. We deserve to be here.” While some residents and advocates are focused on the relocation plan, others were completely opposed to redevelopment in Barry Farm. “I think that it’s absolutely insane, in the midst of an affordable housing crisis … for us to be spending money … to demolish and privatize public housing ...” testified Will Merrifield, a staff attorney at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Merrifield represents tenants whose homes are targeted for demolition by developers. “The history of these public housing demolitions across the country … shows that there’s never a one-for-one replacement of public housing units, ever,” Merrifield said. “So if it happened at Barry Farm, it would be the first time in the history of the world that it’s ever happened. It won’t happen.” —Katlyn Alapati
Godfather at 2nd Annual Chuck Brown Day
The Chuck Brown Band | PHOTO BY NICOLAS FULLEN, COURTESY OF FULL CIRCLE ENTERTAINMENT By Katlyn Alapati Editorial Intern On any other day, the Chuck Brown Memorial Park serves as a recreational space and a subtle reminder of the man affectionately referred to as the Godfather of Go-Go. But on August 20, the park was filled with Brown’s fans, his band and his music. The second annual Chuck Brown Day celebration took place to commemorate Brown and celebrate his life only two days before his August 20 birthday. The Chuck Brown Band, whose members played with Brown for varying lengths of time before his death in May 2012, played everything from fan favorites dating back to the 80s, to their new single, “Show Me Love.” “Basically, that’s what Chuck was about; he showed love to everybody,” said Douglas Crowley, a bassist who played on and off with Brown for about 15 years. Brown’s spirit clearly lives on, not only through his music, but through his band members who still mixed the present and past verbal tenses together as they related anecdotes about their bandleader. The Chuck Brown Foundation, which Brown’s two sons run and promoted at the event, focuses on three issues that were obstacles in Brown’s life before his music garnered recognition: education, homelessness and reentry into society after incarceration. “Music was the main thing that really kept [Brown] going,” Crowley said of Brown’s inspirational approach to adversity, “because he knew personally that, within himself, he had something that he could do something with.” Chatting with the band, some fond memories of Chuck included:
Greg Boyer, trombone: “Chuck heard us [brass players during a concert], and he came up to us afterwards, and he said, ‘I like the way you guys sound.’ We said, ‘thank you very much.’ You know, coming from Chuck Brown, that meant a lot. And he said, ‘I’m the only one in town who’s qualified to pay you.’ And I was like, ‘That’s a pretty big thing to say.’ So I took him up on his offer, and I played with him for the next 23 years. That’s probably my fondest memory of him.” D o u g l a s C r o w l e y, b a s s : “ I t w a s intermission … I had picked up Glen’s bass because I wanted to play it because he had a jazz bass — he had an old jazz bass — and I just started playing, and it was one of Chuck’s tunes … He turned around, and he looked at me. He said, ‘Son, when Glen goes out of town, you’re playing.’ That was it.” Elijah Balbed, saxophone: “It’s funny that yours’ is the first time you [both] met Chuck because mine is actually from the last time I encountered Chuck, in Richmond, which was the last gig I played with him before he went to the hospital. I was warming up … I remember I [began playing] a song: Harlem Nocturne. And, I guess, at that point, Harlem Nocturne wasn’t a regular part of the set; we hadn’t played it in maybe, at least, several gigs. And I just remember him kind of smiling while I played that song. And then, during the set, unannounced, he just went into the intro of Harlem Nocturne because, I guess, he heard me practicing it. That was my fond memory. He didn’t say anything. He just went right into it during the set. And I remember we looked at each other like, ‘Oh, I guess we’re doing that song now.’”
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
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FOOD ISSUE
Restaurant owner Kazi Mannan works alongside other volunteers at Georgetown Ministry Center to serve the lunch he donated on Sunday, August 21. | PHOTO BY BENJAMIN BURGESS
Fare to Share: Local Restaurateur Leads by Example By Rokia Hassanein Editorial Intern The experience of suffering from poverty in Pakistan has never left restaurant owner Kazi Mannan. He carries it with him every day as he opens the doors of Mayur Kabab House on K Street NW, where patrons from D.C.’s homeless community can eat for free. “I experienced — even though I wasn’t homeless — the poverty, the lack of a lot of stuff that’s basic necessities there,” Mannan told Street Sense. He described walking miles to attend elementary school under a tree because there was no school building. He came to the U.S. in 1996 with only three dollars to his name, which was all the money someone else had to their name when offering it as a farewell gift. However, working low wages and long hours allowed him to save and pioneer a limousine business, which in-turn allowed him to start Mayur Kabab House. “When you have something, then you make sure that you will share,” Mannan said. “So, this was my dream [to own a restaurant].” Now, Mannan welcomes any homeless guests warmly and makes a point of trying to chat with everyone. Providing comfort and respect is just as important to him as providing quality food. He described the food itself as healthy and simple: no different than his own meals. “I believe strongly, through my faith, that I’m supposed to share with others, and I will not be poor because I share,” Mannan said. “I can say, hey if there are
60, 80 people coming, my door is open. I’m going to treat you exactly how I treat any other paying customer.” Since November 2015, he has also been preparing extra food on Sundays to distribute for lunch at a nonprofit day program in Georgetown. “He was really a lifesaver,” said Titilayo Adegoke, a program manager for Georgetown Ministry Center. “Usually the people that came [for food] on weekends … we’d have nothing for them and some stopped coming.” Georgetown Ministry Center, which was founded in the 80s after a homeless man froze to death in the neighborhood, provides showers, laundry facilities, computer access and a place to relax each day of the week. Case management is offered on weekdays and donated meals are distributed whenever available through loose partnerships with churches and other charitable organizations. “But every place is closed on Sunday. One church is open, but they only do dinner. For breakfast and lunch we’d have nothing,” Adegoke said. “[Kazi] was really like a blessing, it would give our guests hope. Now everyone knows that we have lunch on Sundays.” Because of Mannan, an average of 45 homeless men and women eat lunch at Georgetown Ministry Center on the weekends. He has never missed a Sunday, according to Adegoke. “I’m very fortunate that I can offer this, and I’m not afraid if I’m going to be broke or anything because I don’t give anything from me; it comes from God.
God provided me, and I’m just sharing it,” Mannan said. His faith re-shaped his definition of wealth beyond money. To him, wealth comes in the form of health, family and friends. “That’s your wealth. When someone comes, you don’t look at their clothes, you look at their heart, and you welcome them with your heart.” A team of volunteers has organically grown to help with the Sunday distributions and provide additional food and beverages at Georgetown Ministry Center. The more people that hear about Mannan’s story, the more that come forward to ask him how they can help. “Social media has been the greatest thing ever,” he said. “I don’t personally need any recognition. But the more reach I get, the more people I mobilize. It makes me feel very, very blessed.”
Outside of local volunteers, Mannan has also been contacted by national and international student groups to share his experience and motivate youth. Most recently, a group traveled from Boston to hear his story. He especially wants anyone who will listen to feel empowered to positively shape the world. “You can do it,” he said. “You can help. You don’t have to be filthy rich to donate. You can donate love.” Although many homeless customers tell Mannan that they feel blessed to eat at Mayur Kabab House, he said that helping them brightens his own day. He doesn’t know of any other District eateries that operate like this, but encourages fellow restaurant owners to try it. “Just be open,” Mannan said. “See how God will bless you more.”
Mayur Kabab House, a Pakistani Indian restaurant located at 1108 K St NW. PHOTO BY ROKIA HASSANEIN
Street Sense Filmmakers Aim Higher Members of Street Sense’s film cooperative aim to raise $5,500 to become members of DCTV, the Dis-trict’s public access television network. A partnership would allow the co-op members to air their work on TV and take classes like studio tech and editing. Since the co-op got started two years ago, it has produced five films, held two screenings at E Street Cinema and filmed promotional pieces for other Street Sense projects, according to Bryan Bello, a filmmaker who helped found the co-op. Bello said a partnership with DCTV would provide the co-op with the tools they need to continue their work.
“We’ve got the heart, but camera equipment, editing software, and space are very expensive,” he said. Morgan Jones is one of the co-op’s 14 members. The documentary he directed, “Late Night,” which chronicles his quest to become an intern on “CBS Late Night with David Letterman,” was the first film the co-op produced. Jones thinks a partnership with DCTV could be an opportunity for co-op members like him to lift themselves out of housing instability. “It could lead to bigger and better things for the people in the group,” he said. Jones, who is already a member of DCTV and thought of the idea for the fundraiser, thinks co-op members who get their work televised on DCTV could have a shot at internships and jobs working in TV production. Jones’s next goal is to produce and star in a Western, using a friend’s farm in New Mexico as a place to shoot. DCTV currently has 650 members, like Jones, who have stories to tell. Their partners range from agencies like WMATA to small groups of community members. “We want to be able to give access to media to anyone who has something to say,” Jo-Ann Enwezor, head of outreach at DCTV, said in an interview. The film co-op is still a few thousand dollars away from their goal, but Bello and Jones are hopeful about the outcome of the fundraiser. —Kim Szarmach
D.C. Government’s “Coffee & Capital” Lives Up to the Name By Ken Martin Vendor/Artist I went into this event thinking I would be just taking some photos and cutting out. When it comes to financing MY business, D.C. has always let me down. Invite me in, run me ragged, make me wait, lull me to sleep and drop me like a hot spud! So I had no real honest interest going in. On top of that I had to drag my poor 13 year old daughter, Justice, along. I knew I'd have to pay for that one! Boy, was I in for a rude awakening! We started with a genuinely cordial welcoming. There was an appetizing spread of treats which soothed the savage 13 year old’s belly. Thank the Finance Gods for that one! Upon entering the room, I was pleased to see my mentors Markus Larsson and John Kavyavu of Life Asset setup to present their organization. Life Asset "Brings Ideas to Life," by providing entrepreneurs the training/resources, both business and financial, that are needed to embark on enterprise.
I knew one of them might be there, but seeing both was a great confidence booster for me! Between them and my camera, I was able to project and assert myself well enough to navigate and network. Starting with an introduction from D.C. Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking Commissioner Stephen Taylor, I met some very interesting and helpful individuals such as: • Associate Commissioner for Banking Christopher Weaver, who spoke on State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) through which D.C. is allocated Capital for lending; • Associate Commissioner for Securities Theodore Miles, a most knowledgeable expert on Securities Crowdfunding; • Senior Special Counsel for the Office of Small Business Policy Julie Davis, in the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission — with whom I sadly missed the opportunity to speak personally, she was quite engaging; • and other business persons that may empower and enable me to promote my business, from agencies such as Department of Housing and Community Development, Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, Department of Small and Local Business Development, First National Bank, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Hive 2.0, a project of ARCH Development Corporation, Industrial Bank and United Bank. There were even a few prospective clients for Digital Hope, Street Sense’s marketing project.
A major bonus was reuniting with D.C. Department of Small and Local Businesses Development (DSLBD) Staff Assistant Katina Bouldin.
This young lady was there in 2002 when I began planning my hat shop — a tribute to her commitment to business in D.C. and mine to the child (whose nose was understandably buried in her tech devices) accompanying me that was born that year. Miss Bouldin invited me to reconnect with DSLBED because there are many services that may help the local entrepreneur. Not only did I discover that there are many open and like-minded individuals in both the private and public sectors that agree that entrepreneurship versus employment at minimum wage is a no-brainer to afford housing in the District of Columbia — another of my infamous run-on sentences — we also discussed possibilities of brainstorming a transitional project to move enterprising homeless folk off the streets and into the American Dream!
Street Sense Readers Celebrate Chic-fil-A in Tenleytown By Ken Martin Vendor/Artist Aware of the “impending” opening of the fast food restaurant, Chic-fil-A, I was still surprised at the sight of a 7-foot cow. Out popped my trusty camera and, lo and behold, it began shooting. Wow, what do you know, the 7-foot bovine can dance! As if that were not enough of an engaging experience, I discovered this carpet-cutting cow is particularly picking dance partners. His (or her, I really wasn’t sure) choice in hoofers was loyal, longtime Street Sense reader Anita Saline! PHOTOS BY KEN MARTIN
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
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FOOD ISSUE
Healthy Food, Healing Work: My employer invests in people, health and second chances
PHOTOS BY RODNEY CHOICE
By Aida Basnight Vendor/Artist Two women, Stephanie Wright and Tricia Sabatini came up with an idea that was needed badly for women re-entering into society who lack skills for the workforce. They also realized that women often have low self-esteem even if they do have more skills than most women who have higher self-esteem. Sabatini and Wright came up with a micro baking business located at Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. The program has three sessions per year, each lasting for eight weeks in which the women learn about food production, food safety education, product packaging, delivery and customer service. One goal of the program is to prepare enrollees to be certified as ServSafe Food Protection Managers. They also have a personal development curriculum that helps women to gain self-awareness and self-esteem, encourages responsibility and accountability and develops communication and decision-making skills. The developed skills are transferable to all industries, not limited to food service. Once the women graduate from the eight week training program they will be able to find employment of their choice based on passion or interests.
Most of my loyal customers are aware that I used to work for Fruitcycle, a local snack company founded by Elizabeth Bennett that provides jobs to disadvantaged women. In January 2016 Fruitcycle began a partnership with Together We Bake. One or two days out of the week I do demos for Together We Bake and Fruitcycle at the Whole Foods Market on P street NW, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Together We Bake has two products, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cinnamon Pecan Granola. As the demo specialist I pass out the Cinnamon Pecan Granola; children love the taste and adults do, too. Plus it’s for a good cause, because when a customer buys a bag of Cinnamon Pecan Granola, all the proceeds go to the training program. The co-founders and employees of Together We Bake were invited to the White House as “Champions of Change” in April to speak about the eight week training program that gives women a second chance. 82 percent of the women enrolled complete Together We Bake’s program. 90 percent of the women who complete the program pass the ServSafe exam, 60 percent gain employment and 100 percent are empowered!
Elizabeth Bennett, Hannah Teklu, Colida Johnson and Stephanie Wright in the Together We Bake kitchen. | PHOTO ESSAY BY RODNEY CHOICE
DOWN ON THE FARM: A Photo Essay By Eric Thompson-Bey Vendor/Artist
Questions on Food By Sheila White, Vendor/Artist
Have you noticed how food has changed? Even the carton’s it comes in have changed. How much do you value food? Do we throw more food away than we eat? Do we spend more money on carryout food then buying from the supermarket? Ask yourself: is it really worth spending money at your neighborhood grocery store? Restaurants are making big bucks to cook food and sell it to you. These are questions we should ask ourselves. Is it really worth the money you spend on carryout food than grocery shopping and cooking your own food?
Old food packaging on display at the Smithsonian. (See another on page 9) PHOTO BY SHEILA WHITE
Farm to Table is No By Henrieese Roberts Vendor/Artist I ventured down to our dock in Annapolis, Maryland toward the end of July and visited the farmers market. I chatted with Edgar Barajas from Westmoreland County, which is located in Pennsylvania and was one of the first counties in the colony of Pennsylvania to have its entire territorial boundary located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Edgar filled me in on how much work goes into the summer farmers markets that I so enjoy. His farming started in February and that by mid-February seedlings were already popping up in the greenhouse. Soil was tilled in mid-March. In April’s first week, planting began. Edgar does not use herbicides. He uses mechanical or manual labor to remove weeds: hand pulling and hoe chopping! Harvest of everything green – kale, collards, onions and spinach – took place the first week of May so that it could all be brought to
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
9
FOOD ISSUE
PHOTO BY SHEILA WHITE
Favorite Food By Elizabeth Bryant, Vendor/Artist I like pepperoni pizza. I like when the cheese is melted. It fills me up. I really enjoy it. I feel like it’s a good treat. I like thin crust, not thick crust. I don’t like to eat all bread.
o Easy Feat! market. Around the first week of June, there was a burst of cauliflowers and broccoli, followed by mid-June tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. All this was added to the produce truck. “Farming is hard work,” Edgar said. “One must work with the environment. One month of rain, like it has rained 26 days in a row this season, takes a toll on the crops. All crops require sun, most 6-8 hours of sunlight. Squash requirement for sun differs from tomatoes. One needs to research sun requirements for individual crops.” Edgar uses crop rotation and weeding so that bugs will not set in. Now he has 30 crops on his 50-acre farm, which he started in 2000. I purchased a tomato from him to share, as well as a zucchini to add to the zucchini I picked up from the Project HOPE Food Fest market that was held at our Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County a few days earlier. I planned to make chocolate zucchini brownies – YUM!
PHOTO BY HENRIEESE ROBERTS
The Flower By Robert Warren Vendor/Artist A lovely Flower, no one loves no one takes time to smell to see, to think, what could be its name why not even the Bumble Bee wants to have a drink no one thinks to give a dozen on mothers birthday or to say "could you pick me a few?" could it be the dark blue that makes this lovely flower look black or the way it only grows, at night and how the rain drops give it a shiny dark sight A lovely flower like a dark heart no one loves or comes to say "how lovely" the dark flower is if you look deep and take the time to see the beauty that comes to be a lovely flower no one loves as she suffers herself to be desired as if to catch the last applause by leaving them to flourish not for us a lovely flower no one loves
The Street Sense Writers’ Group is led by writing professionals and meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The group’s goal is to develop ideas and collaborate on the next great issue of Street Sense.
Food Borne Illnesses By Dwayne Butler, Vendor/Artist
Ice Cream By Ronald Dudley Vendor/Artist
I like chocolate chips on my ice cream, With a cherry on top, caramel and finally Whipped cream. I like ice cream cones on a Sunday And every Monday I eat a hot fudge sundae. I eat it every Monday.
I love cooking on a grill. I cook hot dogs, fish, vegetables and hamburgers. Once, when I cooked a hot dog and a burger for myself on a springtime evening, I was sick within 30 minutes of eating the burger. I had to go to the ER, where the doctor told me about food borne illnesses. Here’s what I learned: A foodborne illness is a disease that is transmitted to people by food. Most foodborne illnesses are caused by microorganisms. These organisms are tiny forms of life that are so small you cannot see them with the naked eye. You can’t taste them or smell them. They include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
Bacteria are the biggest threat to food safety. Once bacterial begin to grow on food, it’s like a rapid chain reaction. If someone easts food that is contaminated, they can develop an illness. Foods that allow microorganisms to grow are called “potentially hazardous” foods. They include foods high in protein, neutral or slightly acidic, and ones high in moisture. Factors that cause food to become unsafe are: time-temperature abuse; cross-continuation; poor personal hygiene; and improper cleaning and sanitizing. The biggest cause of foodborne illnesses is poor personal hygiene. People, who don’t wash their hands properly or often enough, are the biggest risks to food safety. I am writing this because too many people don’t know about these facts.
I like ice cream cakes and pies. You see ice cream in my eyes. I eat it with a spoon. I eat it on a stick. I get it on my clothes. Hey…I’m just a kid. Sherbet is so sweet And tastes like candy, Trick or Treat! I eat ice cream with my Mom. I eat ice cream with my Dad. I eat it when I’m happy. I eat it when I’m sad. I scream, you scream – We all scream for ice cream. I scream, you scream – We all scream for ice cream. Now it’s time to come together Like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. Ice cream makes the world go round. I lift my feet up off the ground. Every time I sing a note I keep tasting a root beer float. Every time I make a wish, I get a bowl of ice cream From my Daddy, with A kiss. I scream you scream, we All scream for ice cream. One more time – I scream you scream, We all scream for ice cream. Hear the full song, recorded with my daughter, on StreetSense.org!
The Dinner Date
ILLUSTRATION BY KEN MARTIN
By Damon Smith Vendor/Artist To many people, my dinner is just a meal: a way to pass the time, to discuss a major deal or to get acquainted with someone. To me, my favorite food experiences were my grandmother’s chicken and dumplings. My grandmother would come to visit a few times throughout the year. Her visits were great; my grandma would breathe new life into the house. For me it was my chance to have our favorite chicken and dumplings. I would look forward to this for months. It was our little dinner date. She would make it her business to stop at the grocery store and pick up the essentials. I think she would look forward
to it more than I did. She would have the house smelling like it never had. I was a fat boy, so it was like Christmas every time she would visit. My family would grab some food, and go about their business. Me and my grandmother would sit and discuss our time apart, and I would just rave about the food. My favorite part was the dumpling soaked in the broth. The food would give me life, and I would be in heaven. I miss those times today. Sometimes when I’m having a rough time, I will just sit and think about those times and it helps grease the wheels of life just a little.
Nanny B’s Collard Greens By Beverly Sutton Vendor/Artist I had a foster mother on Rhode I s l a n d Av e n u e . Another time I had a foster grandmother and I want to tell you about her. Just yesterday, my case manager told me that my foster grandmother, Nanny B, had passed away. Nanny B loved to play with my hair and she fed me very well. I loved the chitlins and the collard greens that she cooked for me. To this day, I still love collard greens. I was nine when I moved in with Nanny B. Right from the start, she tucked me in at night. She told me she hoped I had a good future one day. Nanny B was big and light-skinned. She was something like me: quiet and serious. Sometimes we laughed together at toys and balloons. I loved balloons and she kept the basement full of colorful balloons and beach balls. I would throw the balloons up in the air and rub them on my face. I still like to do that. I went to Nanny B because my mother was hit by a Safeway truck and died when I was nine. I never knew my father. I was too young to think about where he was, so I never asked my mother. Nanny B knew my mother and took me to her funeral. I was also too young to understand that I would never see my mom again. I didn't cry, but when I got older I felt the loss. I got over that a long time ago. I am 58 now and I have a brother who is 62. He lived somewhere else when we were growing up. I met him for the first time when I was 18. I was happy to meet him. He bought me a bicycle for my eighteenth birthday. I haven't seen him since then, but it turns out that him and I have the same case manager. She gave me his phone number recently and I hope to talk with him and meet up one day soon.
More than Just Pizza By Latishia Graham, Vendor/Artist
My favorite food is pizza. I love when my family eats it for Sunday dinner and talks about important things we need to do around the house, like gardening and planning family vacations.
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
A Bounty of Benefits By Evelyn Nnam, Vendor/Artist
We can all agree that delicious food is enjoyable. Most people focus on what it gives our taste buds. There’s always that great meal we savor, lovin’ the nice flavors. But we should really consider the beneficial factors in what we eat. Our human brains need essential factors to keep us from dying early and living miserably with sickness and disease. Our brains need boosting berries, cherries and fruits to reduce serious cases like cancer. There’s also fish, eggs and beans that build our brains to become strong foundations with all the protein and calcium they give. And nutritious fruits and fine vegetables help us fight off the countless diseases swarming on this earth. The right food gives us energy, keeps us healthy and keeps us sturdy. It will help you grow and make you strong when you’re on the go. Please remember to feed your body with the right vitamins and minerals, because you only have one body to live with. Thank you and God bless.
My Favorite Dishes By Sybil Taylor, Vendor/Artist
I love sea food, like grilled shrimp with smoked bacon and BBQ sauce, sautéed with Old Bay seasoning. It’s good grilled or baked in the oven, along with a tasty seafood salad with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and Phillips crabmeat with my favorite Italian dressing or French dressing. Seafood tastes so awesome with a glass of water with cucumber chilled in the freezer too. My skills come from years of working in the hotel business, working as a cook or mini-chef. I learned all the recipes. One crowd favorite was always fried or baked crab cakes. Take the shell off and clean the crabs. Put the crab meat in a bowl, add pepper and crab seasoning with shrimp. Mix and bake. Cut the top off a tomato and serve with tuna salad. Refrigerate along with a tasty ginger ale with a slice of fresh lemon. Taste the seafood delight! Let’s not forget my favorite: potato salad. Cut potatoes up and dice. Boil until the potatoes are soft. Drain and cool, then add basil, diced onions, red pepper, green pepper, lemon pepper and some Thousand Island dressing. You could use ranch dressing or mayo instead, whatever fits your taste buds. Mix and refrigerate for a few hours. When you get to dessert, try ice cream with a peppermint stick or whipped cream and strawberries. To everyone: please understand why I have not written about my Dad. Things have been tough, but I will write about him again soon. Thank you for your support!
11
FOOD ISSUE
Breakfast Bunch By Patty Smith Vendor/Artist I’m sitting with some of my friends Over coffee. One makes me feel sad, One makes me feel glad; You got to understand It’s breakfast bunch, its breakfast bunch! We talk about the news, We talk about hate crimes, It’s breakfast bunch, Breakfast, breakfast bunch.
ILLUSTRATION BY PATTY SMITH
Recipe: One of Many
By Kanell Washingt on, Vendor Artist
SAUCE: Combine cayenne pepper, real smoked BBQ sauce, honey to ta ste, 2 tablespoons mustard and a pinch of soy sauce. Baste ribs wi th this mixture as they co ok. Th en co mb in e pl ain ke tc hu p, ma yo an d sugar. Braise ribs as they cook, mixin g with butter already melte d in the pan.
RIBS: First get prime rib s, beef or pork, an d at least 1 stick of bu tter and cayenne pepper. Soak the meat in ga rlic powder, some pepper, le mo n, sa lt, ra w ho ne y, an d ho t wa te r fo r about an hour. Then add meat tenderize r, and a pinch of orange ze st. Add Old Bay seas oning and a white or red onion(s). You can also use your own sauce an d or “doctor” it up . After boiling for up to 1 hour and tenderi zing for 40 minutes, ad d 4 tablespoons of honey, a half serving (cup) and 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. You want th e meat to be succule nt and tasty. Boil this and let cool. Now put the oven on 350 degrees and pla ce trays of ribs in pans (s). Add almost a fu ll stick of butter to each pan used. Put back in oven and let this cook for 1 hour. Cut th e onion, ye llo w pe pp er an d ta bl es po on of ca ye nn e pepper. Ad d ve ge ta bl e an d ca ye nn e mi x to rib trays, turn down th e heat to 200 and co ntinue cooking for anothe r hour.
y da r e m m su ol co a r fo pe ci e Ar s, Vendor/Artist
By Clarence William
ep Friend Colossal Fried Tilapia and Des with Potato Wedge
Shrimp
Ingredients:
flour 1 cup of all-purpose al me rn co of 1 cup asoning salt ¾ cup of Adobo se l shrimp sa los 2 pounds of co ia ap til t file 4 pounds of tatoes po d ele pe ds un 4-5 po ½ gallon cooking oil
Steps:
in a ga llo n siz ed ur an d co rn me al flo of ps cu e th x 1. Mi lt. Sh ak e up th e th e se as on in g sa Zi pl oc k ba g wi th ingredients evenly. lander, after they place them in a co d an p rim sh e th with the tilapia 2. Take sed off. So the same rin d an d ele pe e ar re filets. k bag of flour mixtu p inside of the Ziploc e th Do ly. en ev 3. Place the shrim ed e shrimp are coat th til un it e ak sh and ia filet. same with the tilap enly in the flour rimp and tilapia ev sh e th ing at co ile Wh 4. e oil reaches its cooking oil until th mixture, heat the e. ve highest temperatur o the hot oil, remo pieces of tilapia int ed at co e er. th fry op e Dr 5. p of th filets float to the to the filets when the p. rim sh e th th wi e procedur ed with 7-8 lin 6. Follow the same n pa an aluminum on n pa il fo tin a 7. Use of each individual ain the grease off paper towels to dr a piece. the potatoes. Take colander and rinse es. dg we o int ch 8. Use the same ea t ch potato, then cu g and peeler and peel ea mixture Ziplock ba es to into the flour ta po e th ce Pla 9. ch one evenly. to shake it to coat ea ed with the seafood method that was us 10. Use the same th fry the potatoes. tin foil pan lined wi es into a separate to ta po re e fo th be s ce te Pla 11. 6 mi nu let it sta nd fo r 5pa pe r to we ls an d serving.
OPINION
MOVING UP: The Mixed Bag of the Minimum Wage Increase By Arthur Johnson By now, everyone is aware that earlier this summer, the D.C. City Council passed a bill to increase the minimum wage in the District to $15 per hour. This does provide a mixed bag of expectations for the low income residents who were banking on the increase. Many people are expecting that their income is going to rise significantly, but remember that like any minimum wage increase, it will be phased in, so the effects will take a couple of years to be felt. The business community will adjust their scheduling so that they keep their labor costs under control. That means a cutback in hours for many workers. This is something that many people who make the minimum wage cannot afford, but will have to ultimately deal with. If you think that is not possible, think back to when the Affordable Care Act was passed. Remember the tactics used by some businesses to reduce hours and number of employees to stay under the limits that were put in place to decide who would receive employer-based coverage. Employers will use any means available to them to protect their profits.
What are the effects going to be for District residents? First, you can expect that any business is going to really take a harder look at making tough decisions regarding personnel. You have heard the term “lean and mean” and that may come to fruition quicker than you think as companies will determine who is worth keeping and who should go. Your job, if it is one that can be switched to
which still uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. One way to deal with any potential cutback in hours is to focus your efforts on putting together several part-time jobs. It may be unrealistic to expect that employers are going to want to give you 40 hours a week at $15 per hour, but if you were to work 20 hours at $15 and then get another 20 hour job, you would get
“It is very foolish to assume that just because your job seems safe right now, you will be unaffected by the increase.” an independent contractor position, may very well become one. Making employees become an independent contractor shifts many of the costs and regulations away from the company and it may very well be a way that many businesses will get around the new minimum wage. Another possible effect could very well be that businesses that do not need to be in the District will go over the river to Virginia,
40 hours at $15 per hour which amounts to $600 a week or an annual income of around $30,000. And also keep in mind that if you were able to get a third 20 hour per week job, your income would go to about $45,000. Employers will be much more likelier to consider 20 hours per week because it keeps their costs down (and also keeps them from having to offer you insurance through the ACA because
of the 30-hour requirement for coverage) than if they had to give you 30 or 40 hours per week. Another thing to think about is that if you need to work on your education, this is the time to do it. If you have a two year degree, get your bachelor’s degree. If you only have a high school diploma, go to community college. The job market will be more competitive and employers will be more selective. It is very foolish to assume that just because your job seems safe right now, you will be unaffected by the increase. Many industries that will be directly affected have publicly been voicing frustration at the thought of having to pay higher labor costs, and some companies in the fast food industry have even indicated they will use technology to replace workers. The increase everyone wanted is coming and that can be a good thing if you take the proper steps. Things will be changing rapidly and the best way to deal with it is to stay a step ahead. Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer focusing on finance and economic issues in his column Moving Up.
Not Ready For Hillary By Jeffery McNeil While the polls are not looking good for Donald Trump, I can’t imagine Americans are foolish enough to vote for Hillary Clinton. There are 94 million evangelicals as well as 4.5 million NRA members, 119 million men, and 46.5 million people on food stamps. I don’t see these disaffected groups sitting home this November and allowing Hillary and progressives to push for more gun control, raise higher taxes and regulate you from cradle to grave. Progressives believe it’s okay for your kids to smoke pot and they support making them unemployable with absurd minimum wage laws. I know a lot of Republicans may not like Trump but I know Republicans will not accept the bitter taste of Progressivism without a fight. I hear the media say they’re ready for Hillary, but what I’m hearing from social media is they want someone to clean house. People are fired up and enthused for Trump. They’re appalled by images of riots in Milwaukee and Black Lives Matter. These aren’t White men but Black men that are tired of African Americans crying about police brutality while staying silent about Black-on-Black crime. I hear people say they are tired of millennials
who throw temper tantrums when they can’t get things for free. They’re tired of political correctness and groupthink. They want to be freed. People don’t support Donald Trump because they like or agree with him. A vote for Trump is a vote against elites that claim to be our betters but got us into intractable wars, massive deficits and turned virtually every American city into warzones. They say Trump is losing, but I don’t see Americans wanting a third term of President Barack Obama, which Hillary has promised. I don’t see any enthusiasm with declining wages, 1 percent GDP growth, high taxes and excessive regulation. I can’t see Americans wanting more open borders or taking in anymore Syrian refugees. I don’t believe the narrative that Americans are happy with their standing in the world. We are no longer respected. Are Americans happy with a president who called ISIS a JV team, played golf when a jihadist sawed off someone’s head on national television and presided over riots in Ferguson, Baltimore and Milwaukee. The media tells us Americans want more of this? With all the evidence about the corruption of Hillary Clinton, I wonder why people still support her. I wonder if
there’s hope for America. I hear Street Sense vendors who have been the greatest victims of liberalism explain their reason for supporting Hillary because they believe it’s time we had a women president. Really? What has she done for women? Do they know or care about her record with women? She began her career representing a man accused of raping a 12 year old girl. Although she once tweeted “every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported,” the Clinton foundation has taken millions of dollars from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Qatar that have a deplorable record regarding women’s rights. Although many Blacks foolishly call Bill Clinton our “First Black President,” many young African Americans don’t know that Bill Clinton kicked off his campaign in 1992 by temporarily suspending it to witness the execution of Ricky Ray Rector, this man who was so mentally impaired he requested to have his last meal saved for later. Before she began singing at Black churches and carrying hot sauce, her husband Bill Clinton supported mass incarceration with the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Hillary Clinton aggressively lobbied for the act by calling young Black men “Super Predators”
that needed to be brought to heel. Many African Americans hate Donald Trump because of Birtherism, but guess who else questioned Obama’s background? In 2007 then-senator Hillary Clinton’s chief strategist, Mark Penn, wrote a now-infamous campaign memo laying out his overall plan to win the election. Penn wrote, “I cannot imagine America electing a president during a time of war who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and in his values.” Penn proposed targeting Obama’s “lack of American roots.” I don’t know if Trump is losing, but I do know there is plenty of enthusiasm. This is the most important election in history. I’m urging evangelicals, gun owners, value voters and alpha males to get all hands on deck. Democracy is on the ballot and Donald Trump is the only person standing in the way between being a free country or being transformed into Venezuela or Brazil. It’s your choice: let’s make America great again! Jeffery McNeil is a vendor and regular contributor to Street Sense.
Street Sense maintains an open submission policy and prides itself as a newspaper that elevates community voices and fosters healthy debate. Send your thoughts to opinion@streetsense.org.
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
1#3
OPINION
On Food By Ken Martin
I can only speak for myself, but I’m certain I’m not alone. There are some homeless folk that prefer to earn their own way and buy their own food. Personally, I find it off-putting when people, even with the noblest of intentions, buy me food without first asking my needs. To be frank (though I’m better at being Ken), I have dietary restrictions and am mobility impaired. Translation: what they give that I can’t or don’t want to consume, I am now forced to transport to its unintended and final destination. Better put, I have to find someone to eat it, attempt an exchange without requiring a lot of walking, get a receipt (that means I have to prove it’s not stolen), or finally the last/worst option – which is to trash it. In my home, we were taught never to waste food. Thus, I would never see a generous contribution squandered. It would be far less conceited for the generous donor to take a more dignified (in my humble opinion) approach and inquired of my preferences. If you did, you would learn that I would prefer that money spent on a gift card (that I could share with my kids), a GoFundMe contribution (which enables my mission) or that you just buy and read an underpriced paper (which is why I’m there anyway).
Cap tioned by ar tis t, “Act of kindness on the streets of Chinatown, Washington D.C.” PHOTO BY JC DIAZ
Metropolitan Transit Police:
From the Perspective of a Veteran Street Sense Vendor, Part 2 By Conrad Cheek Jr. As I continue this article from the previous edition, I would like to make it perfectly clear that t the purpose of this is not to put down the Metro Transit Police. Truthfully, 95 percent of my dealings with these officers have been on a positive basis. The purpose of this series of articles is to expose the action of some of the less desirable officers, in contrast to the more desirable officers. The first time that I sold the paper at the Eastern Market Metro Station, a seemingly Asian American officer gave me a $50 citation for vending within 20 feet of a wall. He had not given me any advance warning that I was breaking the law and when I asked him, “How far is 20 feet?”, he didn’t know. I then paced off eight steps and continued to vend the paper. He shook his head and left. I paid the fine, went to court and the case was dismissed. However, I couldn’t get my money back. From then on I have never paid the fines; I merely went to court to find the charges were dropped. The most recent event occurred when
I arrived at Eastern Market station, expecting the forecasted heavy rain. I was about 10 minutes into my 5 to 6 p.m. shift of vending the paper when a blonde, blue-eyed female officer approached me and asked what I was doing. I explained the purpose of the Street Sense paper, in my usual way, and noticed she was looking at the first page. Then she asked, “Where’s your badge?” I explained to her that I was robbed at gunpoint and I hadn’t gotten another badge from the office yet. She then said that I should leave because the paper says, “Please buy from a badged vendor.” My response was “I’ve been here for 11 years. I don’t need a badge for my regular customers to know that I sell Street Sense.” An argument ensued because I knew my rights and she was looking for a reason to tell me to leave, as others have done in the past. She decided to enforce a rule that was not part of her jurisdiction. All of a sudden another Street Sense vendor, Leon Valentine, appeared and asked her what the problem was. She stated her opinion of the situation, to which he responded “This man has been here for 11 years. He is a Street Sense vendor and so am I.” He
showed her his vendor ID. Then she said, “Well, since you have a badge, he can sell the paper as long as you are standing here with him.” Then she walked away. After the officer left us, Leon and I talked for a moment. I thanked him for coming to my aid and told him that I didn’t expect him to stay with me. I also told him that the officer was about to get herself in trouble if she continued with this harassment. He left and I continued to sell the paper. In hindsight, I realize that I was wrong to vend the paper without a valid ID; however, in my opinion it was none of her business. As I mentioned in the previous issue, it was the second day of the Phase 2 Safe Track refurbishment. Hundreds of thousands of commuters were forced to exit at Eastern Market station to continue their commute on either a Benning Road or Minnesota Avenue shuttle bus. The Metro staff was telling people where to go on an individual basis. It began to rain hard and the commuters were pausing under the Metro escalator canopy to open their umbrellas or wait for a break in the downpour before continuing on. The space under the canopy became
very crowded. During this time I used my baritone voice, somewhat loudly, to direct the crowds to the proper shuttle bus. In addition, I requested of the crowd to keep an exit and entrance way open and a way to the escalators clear so that people could get in and out safely and easily. As the African American officer observed these actions, he looked back at me with a look that I interpreted as surprise and approval. The blonde female officer was also under the canopy and observed my actions. At about 6 p.m. I was leaving and I said to her, “I’m done for the day.” Her response was, “Have a nice day,” but with a negative and sarcastic tone in her voice. As I passed the other officer and bid him farewell he responded enthusiastically, saying “Thank you so much! We appreciate your assistance!” This two-part series has been a comparison/contrast of the types of Metro Transit Police officers that I have experienced over the last 11 years. The vast majority are good officers, but occasionally I encounter what I consider a bad apple. Conrad Cheek Jr. is a Street Sense vendor and contributor.
Monkey & the Shrink
The Place I Saw By Reginald Black, Vendor/Artist
By Michael Craig, Vendor/Artist
A psychiatrist is straggling through the woods, distraught and lonely, looking for the wise monkey. “What’s the problem this time?!” the monkey asked the shrink. “Oh my God have mercy,” the shrink said. “I feel as if all of my patient’s problems have become my own. I feel lost in the jungle - I ‘ve lost my mind!” “Listen,” said the monkey. “You’re my best friend! But you have to relax and have patience – that’s why you’re my patient! Our prescription is: go under your favorite tree, relax and look at the beautiful stars. Enjoy the breeze and the moonlight. Drink from the lake down the way if
Logic
Distances
Wolf Creek
Joshua Creek
Joshua Creek
Hobes Grove
Wolf Creek
Hobes Grove
Flagler Trail
Coyote Creek
Flagler Trail
Black Hammock
End Points
Coyote Creek
Tosohatchee
Black Hammock
Three Lakes
Three Lakes
Reedy Creek
End Points
Tosohatchee
Reedy Creek
Green Swamp
Cassia Cassia
Yvette
Rebecca
Pauline
Glen
10 miles
Freddie
Distances
9 miles
Esther
8 miles
Start Points
Green Swamp
Yvette
Rebecca
Pauline
Hikers
Glen
Freddie
>> Solutions on page 15.
Esther
Curated by Sol Hicks Vendor/Artist
Lake Jesup
Start Points
Hikers
Lake Jesup
Sol’s Puzzle Corner:
you get thirsty. Then take two bananas and bushel of grapes. Come find me in the morning, In the morning, the shrink was ecstatically happy and ready to enter society again. He walked back to the edge of the woods with his friend, the monkey. “I promise you, you’ll be fine,” the monkey said. “I’ve been through it too.” The psychiatrist became a wise monkey and the wise monkey went back to being a shrink. After all, it was the same person the whole time! It learned how to relax.
11 miles 8 miles 12 miles 9 miles 13 miles 10 miles Black Hammock 11 miles
End Points
End Points
1. Neither the hiker who trekked for 10 miles nor Coyote 12 Creek miles the person who trekked for Flagler Trail 13 miles is the person who 13 miles started at Three Lakes. Hobes Grove Black Hammock 2. Yvette didn’t finish at Joshua Creek Creek Hobes Grove. Coyote 3. Esther is either the Wolf Creek Flagler Trail hiker who finished at Wolf Creek or the person who trekked for 13 miles. Hobes Cassia Grove 4. Of the hiker who finished at Wolf Creek and JoshuaSwamp Creek Green Pauline, one started at Three Lakes and the other Presented by Puzzle Baron Wolf Creek walked 12 miles. Lake Jesup 5. Of the person who finished at Coyote Creek and Puzzle ID: D485IR ReedyCassia Creek the person who finished at Black Hammock, one is Green Swamp Freddie andsolutions the other started at ThreegoLakes. Three Lakes For hints, and more puzzles, to our website: 6. The person who finished at Black Hammock walked Presented by Puzzle Baron www.Printable-Puzzles.com Lake Jesup Tosohatchee 1 mile less than the hiker who started at Cassia. D485IR 7. TheReedy hikerCreek who trekked for 9 miles didn’t start Puzzle at Reedy ID: Creek. 8. TheThree hikerLakes who trekked for 9 miles finished at Hobes Grove. For hints, solutions and more puzzles, go to our website: 9. The hiker who started at Green Swamp walked somewhat less than Rebecca. www.Printable-Puzzles.com Tosohatchee 10. Glen walked 2 fewer miles thanHikers the hiker who finished at Coyote Creek. Distances Start Points End Points 11. Esther didn’t finish at Joshua Creek. 8 miles 12. Of the hiker who started at Lake Jesup and Glen, one walked 10 miles and the other finished at 9 miles Flagler Trail.
I’ve seen pictures of a place of peace for people similar to me A place of rest meditation and family A place of safety and fun Where plants animals and humanoids are one A place where people have their own People similar to me of dark skin Where learning can take place Where I could have gone to see my face and likeness No envy jealousy or stiffness No evil or seeds thereof Where I could have built a home Lay on the grass and stare at the stars above See the wonders of the day and night sky Where comets and meteors wiz by Where we could build, paint and pray A safe space for the children to play A place of food and friends What happened to this place before I became an adult Why is it not there and the people scattered all about How will it be in the future? The one to warn us I would like to meet you Learn the truth and its limitless bounds A place of peace, where can it be found? I hear them say up there now, I ask how far? Is it a distant star? A far off place that no one knows or a place we forgot? The statements given are, I don’t know, but follow me. How can I when you can’t explain it to me? Doesn’t a question deserve or seek the answer? Why so many questions, issues and no solution? Why so much pollution? Why so much war, even this room I was just in was just in a loud roar about facts and non-facts. A peaceful educational place, I would love that A place to go, be, grow and learn A place where what I yearn for and desire is at my fingertips Not to control or subdue Just because I do the good things I'm supposed to do A place where I do have value I would love a place like that, wouldn’t you?
Start Points Start Points
4x6 Logic Puzzle
4x6 Logic Puzzle
10 miles
Distances
11 miles 8 miles 12 miles 9 miles
13 miles miles 10 11 miles 12 miles 13 miles
Hikers
Start Points
End Points
ILLUSTRATION BY REGINALD BLACK
We decided to keep the rats out of the Food Issue. See Episode 8 of “The Big Fat Rat” online first if you like. Also look for Debbie Brantley’s own rat caper. Only on StreetSense.org! Housing/Shelter
Food
Clothing
Showers
Outreach
Medical/Healthcare
Transportation
Laundry
Education
Employment Assistance
Legal Assistance
Academy of Hope Public Charter School: 269-6623 | 601 Edgewood St, NE aohdc.org Bread for the City: 265-2400 (NW) | 561-8587 (SE) 1525 7th St, NW | 1640 Good Hope Rd, SE breadforthecity.org Calvary Women’s Services: 678-2341 1217 Good Hope Road, SE calvaryservices.org
STREET SENSE August 24 - September 6, 2016
15
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Community of Hope: 232-7356 communityofhopedc.org
Jobs Have Priority: 544-9128 425 Snd St, NW jobshavepriority.org
Covenant House Washington: 610-9600 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE covenanthousedc.org
Martha’s Table: 328-6608 2114 14th St, NW marthastable.org
D.C. Coalition for the Homeless: 347-8870 1234 Massachusetts Ave, NW dccfh.org
Miriam’s Kitchen: 452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave, NW miriamskitchen.org
Samaritan Ministry: 1516 Hamilton Street NW | 722-2280 1345 U Street SE | 889-7702 samaritanministry.org
Sasha Bruce Youthwork: 675-9340 741 8th St, SE sashabruce.org
So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 O St, NW | 797-8806 some.org
Catholic Charities: 772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp
Central Union Mission: 745-7118 65 Massachusetts Avenue, NW missiondc.org
Charlie’s Place: 232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave, NW charliesplacedc.org Christ House: 328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd, NW christhouse.org Church of the Pilgrims: 387-6612 2201 P St, NW churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach food (1 - 1:30 on Sundays only) Community Family Life Services: 347-0511 | 305 E St, NW cflsdc.org
Father McKenna Center: 842-1112 19 Eye St, NW fathermckennacenter.org
My Sister’s Place: 529-5991 (24-hour hotline) mysistersplacedc.org
Food and Friends: 269-2277 219 Riggs Rd, NE foodandfriends.org (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc)
N Street Village: 939-2060 1333 N Street, NW nstreetvillage.org
Foundry Methodist Church: 332-4010 1500 16th St, NW foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities ID (FRIDAY 9-12 ONLY)
Friendship Place: 364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave, NW friendshipplace.org Georgetown Ministry Center: 338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave, NW georgetownministrycenter.org
Perception or Reality: Stability By Robert Williams, Vendor/Artist, USMC Stability is often sought after nowadays, but not always found. At least not by the homeless communities or those with unstable housing. How is your housing situation? However it is now, it could probably be better. But just imagine if it were worse or if you had none. There are too many persons that are homeless, in particular here in the nation’s capital of all places. Once again, I make mention of the fact that chronic homelessness has been eradicated in Salt Lake City, Utah. Other cities are similarly coming on board. So, pray tell, what is
wrong with our nation’s capital? Why does each administration that comes into office vow among their many promises to extinguish homelessness and get more affordable housing – while many units sit vacant in our city. Oh, that’s right. They aren’t affordable units. I truly wonder if our elected officials know the meaning of promise. I suspect they believe it’s something greasy and flexible: more like the old brand of margarine than a solemn commitment. Have they read what’s written on the outside of the Veterans’ Administration
New York Ave Shelter: 832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave, NE Open Door Shelter: 639-8093 425 2nd St, NW newhopeministriesdc.org/id3.html
Patricia Handy Place for Women: 810 5th Street, NW, NW Samaritan Inns: 667-8831 2523 14th St, NW samaritaninns.org
Building? A promise is etched in stone, “to take care of veterans and their widows.” Is that what’s truly happening? (Perception or reality?) Yes, some are being housed and that’s what’s being documented for statistical purposes to get bigger grants and more money in the next fiscal year. However, the lack of longevity is not being reported to you. The system continues to play upon the intelligence of you, the tax-paying, productive, voting members of society. The problem is systemic. I challenge any of you elected officials to respond, in particular, the mayor. I challenge you, not a staff member, to attend the next major community action on homelessness.
St. Luke’s Mission Center: 333-4949 3655 Calvert St. NW stlukesmissioncenter.org
Thrive DC: 737-9311 1525 Newton St, NW thrivedc.org Unity Health Care: 745-4300 3020 14th St, NW unityhealthcare.org
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St NW | 328-5500 legalclinic.org The Welcome Table: 347-2635 1317 G St, NW epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St, NW | 745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave, SE | 797-3567 whitman-walker.org
I am tired of the rhetoric and redundant empty responses and actions of our elected officials. Tired of you, the voting public, not lifting your voices together for change. Silence is agreement. Come on, people, you train your pet, your dog, to what you want it to do. Don’t you realize that, without constant action, the system is doing the same thing to you? It’s training you to accept what it does or says and then respond as they want you to, for their benefit, not yours. Wake up! Wake up and smell the coffee. The doughnuts are ready. Especially get out the vote, this year your vote may be the deciding vote that keeps this country from going into further turmoil.
YOU ARE INVITED! When?
September 29, 2016 (6-9 pm)
Where?
Josephine Butler Parks Center 2437 15th St NW Washington, DC 20009
VENDOR PROFILE: CHON GOTTI By Jacqueline Groskaufmanis Editorial Intern
For TICKETS go to streetsense.org/celebration2016 Join us at this historic mansion overlooking Meridian Hill Park for a unique showcase of artistic displays created by our neighbors experiencing homelessness!
Mary Ann Blackman - 8/20 Derian Hickman - 8/28
August 24 - September 6, 2016• Volume 13 • Issue 21
Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW
Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC
Washington, DC 20005
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Remember, buy only from badged vendors and do not give to those panhandling with one paper. Interested in a subscription? Visit StreetSense.org/subscribe
A few years ago, Chon Gotti was living on the streets and selling cigarettes in Southeast D.C. Now, he’s an entrepreneur. After joining Street Sense, which also led him to an additional salesman position, Gotti has been able to get off the streets. He was born to two loving parents in D.C. and raised in what he describes as “the toughest neighborhood on the south side.” Now, he is a parent himself and has a daughter attending Howard University. When Gotti’s parents became ill, he put his personal plans on hold to take care of them and accepted the complications that came with that. This eventually led to a state of homelessness. “Some people may think that they’re strong because they can pay their bills on time,” Gotti said. “But true strength is taking care of the people that brought you into this world.” And that is what he did. Today, his life is on the upswing. Gotti sees himself first and foremost as a businessman, attributing his success, in large part, to his confidence. When he sells Street Sense, Gotti sells to a large pool of customers. He has his regulars: the people who buy the paper, ask him about his life, offer bits of kindness. He has people who are disinterested, who walk by him without words. And then, occasionally, he has what he calls a “bad apple:” people who will ask him to leave, or worse, people who curse him out while he is trying to sell the paper. Rather than get discouraged, he notes how many of each kind of customer he sees each day and uses his data to plan for the next day and work on his business approach. “It’s a numbers game,” Ghotti said. Bad apples aren’t exclusive to prospective customers: they can also be found on the police force, according to Gotti. After serving as a patrol officer for
more than 15 years, he knows the other side of policing. “I’ve locked people up; I know the code,” he said. Between working on the force and interacting with officers as a citizen in D.C., Gotti has a thorough understanding of his rights. He wants others to know their rights as well. He combines his respect for authority with his expectation for just behavior from the police, advocating for the Mobile Justice app—an app from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that allows people to record and witness interactions with the police in order to increase accountability. In a critical era of racial tensions between Black men and law enforcement, Gotti — a former member of the force, and a black male — exists at a complicated intersection. Often he will be approached by officers when he sells Street Sense and will have his right to vend questioned. However, everything that Ghotti does is legal—right down to how far he stands from other establishments when he sells the paper. “I’m not making as much as I would be if I were illegally selling cigarettes, but everything I’m doing is legal, and I’m making money the honest way.” He said. Ghotti knows that homelessness is perceived with the weight of stigma. However, while he feels that some may use homelessness to label him negatively, he refuses to use it as a negative label for himself. As a person who values pride and confidence, Ghotti refused to bend to negative public perception of those who have experienced homelessness. “Life is how you feel about yourself. I don’t feel like I’m homeless, I don’t act like I’m homeless.” Ghotti said. “I lost housing for a while, but I’m just like you.”