09 09 2020

VOL. 17 ISSUE 23

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Real Stories

While stimulus negotiations stalled, more DC families sought shelter

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News IN brIef Stimulus payment requirements due Oct. 15

Fourth Annual Urban Transformations Symposium Friday, Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. // Online Howard University and Quinnipiac University are jointly hosting “From go-go Chocolate enclaves to Uber-Latte neighborhoods: aesthetics of race, Place & Urban redevelopment in the Capital City,” a threeday virtual conference that explores aesthetics of race, place, public safety and urban redevelopment in Washington d.C. Register: tinyurl.com/uts4dc

tHUrsday, sePt. 17

UPdates onLine at iCH.dC.gov

tHUrsday, sePt. 10

Myth, Race, and the Media: From Pandemic to Protests, Part II

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

No Grant Zone: Resourcing the Revolution

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. // Online this two-part virtual discussion, hosted by Baylor University, will focus on the way race is covered in the media and on concrete strategies for racial healing and reconciliation.

Register: tinyurl.com/media-racism-panel

Housing Solutions Committee sept. 21, 3 pm // 1800 martin Luther King Jr avenue, se Strategic Planning Committee sept. 22, 2:30 pm // 441 4th street nW Emergency Response and Shelter Operations Committee sept. 23, 1 pm // 441 4th street nW

6:30 p.m. // Online Black Lives matter d.C. will share what they’ve learned over the past 18 months about income sharing in a crossclass, multi-racial group, and hear about other resource sharing models.

Register: tinyurl.com/no-grant-zone

Submit your event for publication by emailing editor@streetsensemedia.org

Corrections 1. street sense media has learned that an individual featured in the story “Solar For All creates jobs and can reduce expenses for low-income households,” in our aug.12 edition, is affiliated with a different training program than the one we wrote about. the story highlighted solar Works d.C. However, andre robinson, the man whose life-changing experience was featured, participated in d.C. sustainable energy Utility’s workforce development program. the story has been temporarily removed from our website. We are working to re-release the information about both mr. robinson and solar Works d.C. in separate stories.

2. in the cover story of our previous print edition, “Protesters to Bowser: Reform the Department of Human Services,” an activist who spoke through a megaphone was incorrectly reported to be affiliated with Ward 5 Mutual Aid. she is a part of the group Until Freedom. the story was corrected before it was published online.

The IRS is using its Non-Filers Tool to ensure that people who do not usually submit a tax return receive their stimulus payment, with deadlines approaching on Sept. 30 and Oct.15. The Non-Filers Tool is an option for people with incomes typically below $24,400 for married couples, and $12,200 for singles, including couples and individuals who are experiencing homelessness.

Non-filers with children who did not receive a payment of $500 per qualifying child have until Sept. 30 to provide the necessary information via the Non-Filers Tool, found online at: www.irs.gov/ coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here. The payments will be made by mid-October, the IRS estimates.

Non-filers who did not receive their baseline stimulus payment of $1200 have until Oct. 15 to submit their information at the same web address, according to a news release from the agency.

Many received their stimulus payment earlier in the year, but for people who do not usually file tax returns, the IRS may not have enough information to determine if they’re eligible. Around Sept.

24, the IRS will start mailing letters to the last known address of roughly 9 million non-filers who may be eligible for a stimulus payment. To address fraud concerns, a copy of the letter can be found on their website (tinyurl.com/IRS-EIC-non-filer-notice). Eligible people to use this tool include anyone with qualifying children who receives Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement benefits, or Veterans Affairs Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefits who did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019.

If eligible non-filers miss these deadlines, they will not be able to receive these payments until they file a tax return in 2021. The “economic impact payments” are tax credits that have been made available in advance.

Families and individuals who are eligible to receive special tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, cannot use the Non-Filers Tool and will instead need to file a regular return by using IRS Free File or by another method within the same Sept. 30 and Oct 15 deadlines.

—jake@streetsensemedia.org IRS Free File is available online at www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-yourfederal-taxes-for-free.

VA to fund 129 beds for homeless vets The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will fund 129 transitional housing beds for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of doing so in the District.

The agency will disburse grants to three nonprofits in the D.C. area beginning on Oct. 2. Transitional housing is a temporary type of supportive housing, meant to bridge the gap between homelessless and permanent housing.

The grants will go to Access Housing, Inc. in D.C.; the Chesapeake Health Program in Perry Point, Maryland; and the United States Veteran Initiative in D.C. Each works with the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center.

There are about 386 veterans experiencing homelessness in the area served by the medical center, which includes D.C. and parts of Maryland and Virginia, according to a press release. Veteran homelessness nationwide has decreased by 50% since 2010.

The VA’s Grant Per Diem (GPD) Office will manage the disbursement. Per Diem grants provide funding via reimbursements to organizations that handle veteran transitional housing during the grant award period.

“No veteran should ever have to worry whether they will have stable housing, and these grants put us one step closer to ensuring all veterans are living in a safe and supportive environment,” said Sha-Ron Haddock, who oversees the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center’s GPD Office.

—jake@streetsensemedia.org

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News

Nonprofit explores what it will take to provide immediate housing for returning citizens

By Maria TrovaTo // Editorial Intern

N

onprofit developer Jubilee Housing plans to create immediate temporary housing for people returning from incarceration and long-term affordable housing for returning citizens who have found a source of income.

“For people coming out of incarceration, the barriers are enormous,” said Martin Mellet, Jubilee’s vice president of internal affairs. “We know one of the main problems for returning citizens is finding housing.

The loss of income that stems from incarceration is a leading cause of homelessness when someone leaves prison. Even if an individual had stable housing before being incarcerated, which many did not, they often are likely going to lose this housing before they return.

About 57% of individuals who experience homelessness in D.C. have been incarcerated and 55% reported that incarceration caused their homeless, according to a D.C. Fiscal Policy report released earlier this year.

Both housing developments will be in Adams Morgan in an area that includes the King Emmanuel Baptist Church at 1721 Kalorama Road NW, which the nonprofit purchased in January.

“While Jubilee plans to renovate the church, the 11,000-square-foot space is currently in good condition and can be used as is, so Jubilee can start to have a presence there right away,” according to a post on the organization’s website. “This also creates an opportunity for other nonprofits that do similar work to meet at the church.”

According to the Washington Business Journal, Jubilee also purchased a building down the road at 1724 Kalorama Road NW and several other spaces on nearby Ontario Road NW in 2019. The organization owns the majority of the block.

Immediate housing Jubilee has operated a transitional housing program for the past eight years. Ten men at a time in one residence and 10 women at a time in another are housed and helped on their road to recovery from incarceration.

Participants, who usually are not coming directly from prison, agree to stay drug- and alcohol-free, and commit to looking for employment. The program generally lasts about a year. This is different from the temporary housing Jubilee now plans to build.

“This immediate housing would be for people just coming out and looking for a place to stay. We would have some rules and expectations that we are developing at this point, but this would have a lot lower barrier than our transitional housing,” Mellet said. “We need to create a system where we can give folks who are just coming out a place that is stable and that’s giving some support.

Then once they’re strong enough, we already have a transitional housing program.”

Nearly 50,000 people nationally enter homeless shelters directly from incarceration, according to the

Jubilee Housing construction adjacent to the King Emmanuel Baptist Church.

PHOtO By ERIC FAlquERO.

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. In fiscal year 2018, more than 11% of people in the community supervision program in D.C. were considered to have unstable housing, three-quarters of whom resided in shelters, according to a Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) report.

The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute report recommends instituting a housing evaluation for returning citizens three months before they are released, to connect them with family, friends, or temporary housing assistance and have a definitive plan for housing for each person. It also recommends coordinating and expanding existing city services to provide housing and supportive services for returning citizens, not unlike Jubilee’s program, “in recognition that the first years following incarceration are especially important and that the risk of recidivism is highest in this period.”

Affordable housing In addition to this, Jubilee plans to build 50 - 60 units of affordable housing next to the King Emmanuel Baptist Church, half of which will be designated for returning citizens. Those who finish Jubilee’s transitional housing program and gain employment would be able to live there.

This type of subsidized housing is still necessary after returning citizens gain employment, according to Mellet.

“Even if you’re on a fixed income or you’re earning minimum wage, which is now 15 bucks per hour, you are not going to find housing in the District,” Mellet said. “It just doesn’t exist unless it’s subsidized.”

There are reportedly 51,002 extremely low-income renter households in the District, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. An NLIHC report released in March found there were only 41 housing units that are both available and affordable for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. The minimum wage is not sufficient to cover rent in D.C. To afford rent in a one-bedroom apartment in 2020, a person making minimum wage in the District would have to work 88 hours per week, according to the organization’s annual “Out of Reach” report.

“Many returning citizens face the same challenges that lead to homelessness among the general population,” according to the DCFPI report.

Additional barriers for returning citizens The severe lack of affordable housing in D.C. leaves few options for those who make minimum wage, are unemployed, elderly, chronically ill or have any sort of restricted income, said Paula Thompson, the founding co-chair of the D.C. Reentry Action Network, a coalition of local nonprofits providing direct service to returning

citizens, and the executive director of Voices for a Second Chance, which works to connect justice-involved individuals with family, community, and resources. This lack of affordable options often forces individuals to live in housing that is unsafe or drives them to homelessness.

“This occurs before factoring in the stigmatization of a criminal record and gentrification. Many individuals who return from incarceration after years and decades do not recognize their former neighborhoods and can’t afford to live in them and become discouraged,” Thompson said.

Residents rely on networks of friends and family members for help affording housing in D.C. This is often difficult for returning citizens who may have severed or damaged relationships due to their incarceration, according to Caroline Cragin, founding director of Community Mediation, which provides mediation between returning citizens and their families. Cragin is also a board member of the D.C. Reentry Action Network.

“The folks that are incarcerated in D.C. are disproportionately Black and brown folks and from wards 7 and 8 and from communities themselves that are more disenfranchised,” Cragin said.“Even if my relationship with a support person is really strong, that person doesn’t want to risk their own voucher ... or their own housing if they rely on any kind of subsidies.” Many housing vouchers do not allow for long-term guests or additional tenants.

They and other programs may also include stipulations for the condition of the unit that the tenant may worry about not maintaining if they invite someone else to live there.

In the District, a “vulnerability index” is used as a form of triage to prioritize who will be given access to various housing programs when they become available, based on how that person’s needs match up with the specific housing programs.

“Returning citizens often don’t score well in the vulnerability index because their time in a halfway house or jail is not considered homeless,” Mellet said. “It’s not that our system doesn’t want to house them. It’s that we don’t have enough resources to do it.”

The current pandemic has only exacerbated the need for housing for this population, Thompson said.

“There was minimal housing inventory dedicated to returning citizens before COVID-19,” Thompson said.

She worried that the projected increase in homelessness, coupled with strategies to reduce jail populations by releasing more inmates during the pandemic, have made the situation that much more dire. In June, the D.C. Department of Corrections was ordered to come up with a detailed plan for possible further reduction of DOC inmates after denying a request to release inmates in April.

Purchasing the church exhausted Jubilee’s “Justice Housing Partners Fund,” which it launched in 2018 to support deeply affordable housing in well-served neighborhoods where it is typically not found, such as Adams Morgan. The fund raised $5.3 million and the organization hopes to replicate the endeavor.

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From parole to pride: DC agency empowers individuals vulnerable to crime

By EuniCE Sung Editorial Intern

I

n 2018, when Julius Terry was on parole and living in a shelter, the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety gave him an opportunity to turn his life around. All that was asked from him was commitment. Terry now has a full time job at the ONSE office as an administrative assistant.

The Pathways program, headed by ONSE, is a transitional employment initiative that aims to decrease participants’ involvement in the criminal justice system by improving their education, training, and employment outcomes.

Participants 25 to 30 years old must be referred to the program after being identified as either at risk of participating in a violent crime or being the victim of such violence.

“I love the fact that I have someplace to be every morning with responsibilities. I always wanted more. I was an orphan, I didn’t have my mom or my father. So the entirety of [my] life, I would have traded all of that just for normal,” Terry said. “I have an everyday job, it’s providing for my family, it’s providing for me. I’m not a problem to the community.”

Terry was able to enroll in the program through the federal Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. CSOSA refers approximately three-fourths of Pathways participants, according to public testimony given by Tony Lewis Jr., the vocational development coordinator of CSOSA, at a D.C. Council performance oversight hearing in January.

“CSOSA believes job readiness and employment are absolutely essential to reducing recidivism and increasing public safety,” Lewis wrote.

Once selected, participants identify personal goals and milestones with their case managers, also known as “pathmakers,” in order to make individualized plans to address issues or obstacles in their way, according to ONSE Director Delbert McFadden.

“We make sure that by the time they get through the program that we resolved all of those issues so there’s no barriers or excuses to why they can’t work or do what they need to do in their community or in their families and for themselves,” McFadden said.

The program lasts for one year and is carried out in three stages.The first is a nine-week classroom-based training where participants learn about life and job skills. The second offers six months of subsidized employment so that participants are able to have real work experience and establish a record of employment. In the third phase, long-term retention and support services are offered so that participants can successfully transition to permanent unsubsidized employment and continue to pursue and achieve all other goals.

ONSE emphasized the importance of including a paid component in the program because employment and income are substantial indicators of an individual’s likelihood to be involved in violent crime.

“Income is a huge factor and having steady employment, having a steady source of income, can stabilize an individual, can stabilize a family, and has a myriad of positive effects,” said a spokesperson for ONSE. Most criminological theories suggest the general notion that employment deters crime. Income associated with work should reduce the motivation to commit crime for economic gain, according to research of sociology professors Sarah Lageson and Christopher Uggen. Further studies reveal differences

in how work can affect crime rates among youth — but for adults, the quality of work and the bonds created through legal employment can more effectively decrease the chances of individuals committing a crime, Lageson and Uggen found.

ONSE said that over 25% of Pathways participants have housing instability and if any participant notes housing as a barrier, the team can assist them through the several wraparound services they provide. Other services include transportation benefits, nutritional services, mental health support, and more. By providing a multitude of agencies and services, the program is the most comprehensive in the District, according to Director McFadden.

“There’s no cookie cutter approach to this work,” he said.

“Just like each community is different and has different needs, each participant of the program has different needs.”

ONSE was created by the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act. After the number of homicides in the city spiked in 2015, the NEAR Act was passed in 2016 and ONSE opened the following year. The bill sought to use public health approaches to prevent violence and reduce incarceration, covered different public safety initiatives designed to reduce violent crime, reform criminal justice provisions, and improve community-police relations.

“We make it our business to meet individuals where they are,” McFadden said. “We have an office of support for these individuals and that’s extremely important, that they feel comfortable. This is a safe haven for them. Some of them hate Fridays because they’re not going to see us for the weekend.

It’s really a family feel here in the office.”

Since the inception of the ONSE agency, four cohorts of about 25 people have been enrolled in the Pathways program.

Out of these 99 participants, 33 successfully completed phase three by securing unsubsidized employment.

The ONSE spokesperson said its budget will remain flat for the next fiscal year and the Pathways program will be funded at a larger capacity. McFadden said the office is looking to expand the number of cohorts for the Pathways program to allow enrollment of 50 to 100 more participants at a time.

These funds were made available after a proposed increase to

the Metropolitan Police Department’s fiscal year 2021 budget was reduced by $15 million in the wake of police brutality protests. The funds distributed to other public safety efforts outside of law enforcement.

Other departments, such as the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, also work with ONSE to provide staff or critical messengers to work with the participants. Clinton Lacey, director of Youth Rehabilitation Services, said the conversation of tackling crime prevention with a public health approach can be tied to the advocacy to defund the police and the Black Lives Matter movement.

“There needs to be changes and approaches and structure and application of justice overall,” Lacey said. “What should that look like? I think this conversation and programs like Pathways and others provide the substance to begin answering these questions.”

Moving forward, McFadden said the office is working to be more intentional about ways to address mental health and maximize employment and housing opportunities. He noted the importance of creating an environment where the office staff and participants can build trust and interact with the inner potential of each individual.

“They’re extremely resilient, they’re extremely bright, we just have to create the opportunity, the environment, that’s conducive to their growth,” McFadden said. “Once we see that, we will better understand that we have assets in the community that we don’t utilize enough.”

Overall, Terry said that the program’s hands-on approach is different from anything he has ever experienced.

“Before the program, I had not too long ago been released from prison, and the wind could have took me whichever way,” he said. “In this situation, it was a government agency that reached out to me. They showed me it’s a better way. My entire life has drastically changed and I’m proud to work for ONSE.” Employers interested in learning more about hosting a Pathways program participant can request more information at tinyurl.com/ONSE-employer.

Screenshot of the fourth cohort of the Pathways program with the ONSE staff.

PHoto CoUrtesy oF tHe d.C. oFFiCe oF neigHBorHood saFety and engagement

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News

What privatizing DC public housing looks like so far By nEna PErry-Brown Greater Greater Washington // @prrybrwn

s

ince being the site of the country’s first all-Black public housing development at Langston Terrace Dwellings, D.C. has been one of many centers for innovative approaches to public housing, both through adoption and implementation of newer federal programs, and through initiatives led by the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA).

In previous articles, I wrote about how the public housing system in the United States began and how it has evolved and devolved. And, despite being undermined at every level of oversight, broad acceptance that public housing had been a failed endeavor led not only to experiments in privatizing the system from the federal level, but also to experiments in privatization on a local level.

Here is how privatization of public housing has played out in the District.

DC’s HOPE VI difficulties Just as the federal government mismanaged the nationwide public housing system, so did the District’s housing authority mismanage D.C.’s public housing portfolio. By 1978, public housing demand in D.C. had produced a waiting list of roughly 7,500. At a mayoral debate, then-activist-turned-politician and future Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry stated, “I am committed to increasing the availability of decent, safe and affordable housing.” The next year, Mayor Barry set a plan in motion to use a mix of public and private financing to rehabilitate 733 of the city’s vacant and blighted housing units, including some public housing.

Ten years later, most planned housing unit renovations remained delayed, and while the waiting list had decreased to 7,165, public housing maintenance funds reportedly went unspent.

In 1992, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) graded D.C.’s public housing at a 22.38 on a 100-point scale, deeming almost 20% of the portfolio uninhabitable.

Over the 16 years before a judge put DCHA-preceder Department of Public and Assisted Housing (DPAH) into receivership in 1994, the agency had had 13 different directors.

However, the lawsuit that led to receivership was still ongoing as HUD’s HOPE VI program was being rolled out nationwide, and D.C. was one of the early grantees.

Through HOPE VI (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere), HUD competitively awarded grants to public housing authorities (PHAs) to raze and redevelop distressed communities. The grants were intended to be combined with private sector funding in order to finance construction of mixed-income communities.

D.C.’s first two HOPE VI projects, which replaced the Ellen Wilson Homes in Capitol Hill and the Valley Green and Skytower communities in Washington Highlands, have been heralded as successes (likely because there were so few families to displace from the original housing — the communities were nearly vacant prior to redevelopment). Overall, however, DCHA’s HOPE VI track record is not unblemished for the

graPHiC CoUrtesy oF dCHa.

seven communities slated for participation.

A 2003 audit of D.C.’s management of HOPE VI properties found improper financial practices and record-keeping. By 2006, DCHA had demolished 2,961 public housing units as part of HOPE VI and had plans in place to replace one-third of those units (1,031 units) as new public housing, one-third (999 units) as mixed-income rental units, and one-third (1,088 units) as for-sale housing. The reality, though, has often been defined by delays and displacement.

The 23-acre Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg redevelopment less than a mile from Greenleaf Gardens is a prime example of how redevelopment can lead to displacement and lags in unit replacement, as 14 years after groundbreaking, some parts of the former community still serve as surface parking for visitors to Nationals Park. Meanwhile, HOPE VI was dismantled in 2011.

DC’s new public housing authority came with more freedom In 1999, receivership was wrapping up and the city established the D.C. Housing Authority. The agency’s mission, as described in the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999, was to provide “decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings, and related facilities, for persons and families of low-to moderate-income in the District.” By then, HUD had created the “Moving to Work” (MTW) demonstration program, which grants some PHAs more latitude in how they spend their funds, enabling them to test out creative programs.

D.C. became an MTW authority in 2003 and is now one of 39 MTW PHAs. Since then, DCHA has participated in several privatization experiments of its own, including the New Communities Initiative (NCI). NCI was launched in 2005, allowing DCHA to take the HOPE VI approach to obsolete buildings in its portfolio while ceding responsibility for the redevelopment process to the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development (DMPED).

Unlike HOPE VI, NCI was meant to guarantee one-for-one replacement of demolished units, and while DCHA would complete the process to dispose of the property through HUD, DMPED would solicit, select, and negotiate the terms of the new development, and see it through to completion.

Thus far, NCI has been more successful in replicating the shortcomings of HOPE VI, leading to displacement, uncertainties, and delays.

For example, two miles from Greenleaf Gardens, the historic Barry Farms is in the 14th year since NCI redevelopment was approved. Although residents were eventually able to assert their rights and advocate to secure (and claim a partial victory

for) historic landmark designation of their community, most of the homes there have been razed and nearly all the residents have been displaced. The development team overseeing the project has not yet offered an updated proposal for the site following this January’s historic preservation ruling.

Across town in Northwest, the Park Morton redevelopment has also been beset by delays, primarily due to four homeowners near Park Morton appealing a zoning approval for the first phase of development three years ago. These neighbors’ complaints have primarily centered on the loss of most of the temporary Bruce Monroe Park where the bulk of the replacement units for Park Morton residents will be constructed, along with the size and scale of the development on that site.

The D.C. Court of Appeals sent the project back to the Zoning Commission to reconsider the approval earlier this summer; meanwhile, the development team is aiming to instead start the redevelopment on the existing Park Morton site, effectively taking the “build-first” option off the table.

DCHA has already filed for raze permits.

MtW designation offers new ways to subsidize housing Rather than having all the agency’s eggs in the redevelopment basket, however, DCHA has also used its MTW designation to get creative with how it subsidizes housing. DCHA has used MTW to sweeten the pot for private landlords to accept vouchers citywide, furthering the goal of deconcentrating poverty and winning the city accolades for its voucher distribution (although some have questioned whether this arrangement works out for voucher recipients and their new neighbors).

In 2007, D.C. established the Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP), offering a locally-funded voucher option for households earning up to 30% of area median income (AMI).

DCHA currently administers over 4,600 LRSP vouchers in addition to nearly 11,000 federally-funded vouchers. LRSP funds are also used to subsidize development of affordable housing through the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)-administered Housing Production Trust Fund, combined with other financing DCHA and its partners can provide like Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Market Tax Credits.

Leftover LRSP funding has also been used to finance public housing repairs, and combined with the DCHA Rehabilitation and Maintenance (R&M) fund the city created in 2017, DCHA has had a more reliable means to get funding for maintenance (although R&M funds are not dedicated and are subject to the budget approval process). And while the R&M fund is a

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lanston terrace apartments in D.C. PHoto CoUrtesy oF smaLLstone // WiKimedia Commons.

welcome addition to DCHA’s ability to manage its portfolio, it may be too little too late considering the rampant disrepair in its communities.

“Much of the existing conditions are the result of more than a decade of federal underfunding of the Capital Fund Program and Public Housing Operating budgets — monies provided to housing authorities to meet maintenance and capital needs of public housing communities,” DCHA explained in its 2021 MTW plan. “DCHA acknowledges that the flexibility provided by its MTW designation has lessened the impact of reductions in federal funding on the provision of core services; however, funding remains a significant challenge.”

And amidst these slow-going initiatives, the need for public housing in D.C. has still grown: there were over 11,000 people on the waiting list in 1992, and now the list has been closed to new applicants since 2013 when there were over 70,000 candidates. As of July 2020, there were over 73,000 households on multiple DCHA waiting lists, including 27,370 for traditional public housing units.

DCHA’s future repositioning plans DCHA has answered HUD’s 2018 call to accelerate repositioning, or removing units from the public housing portfolio. Last summer, DCHA released “Our Portfolio, Our Plan” to lay out a preferred roadmap to stabilize the agency’s 41-property portfolio. The Plan notes that HUD capital funding, which goes to maintenance and rehabilitation, has decreased by 2% annually since 2000 (not adjusting for inflation), and that this has left DCHA with a funding gap of $2.2-2.5 billion to maintain the existing housing. To compensate for this shortfall, repositioning is seen as a way to address varying needs throughout the portfolio in a way that is more time- and money-efficient, allowing DCHA to leverage $785-850 million in cash to finance stabilization over 17 years.

DCHA’s Plan places priority on 14 sites for either intensive repair via the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) process, or complete redevelopment via HUD’s Section 18 process.

Greenleaf Gardens would be first in line for the latter. Since 2006, Section 18 has enabled PHAs to apply to HUD to demolish public housing deemed “obsolete”, or irreparable at a “reasonable” cost.

In order to secure a Section 18 demolition-and-disposition, the subject property should meet the criteria under HUD’s Obsolescence Test, HUD must remove the federal Declaration of Trust requiring the site be used as public housing, and residents must be offered vouchers to relocate during the redevelopment process. Although this is not required federally, DCHA has also committed to pursuing a ground lease with a selected developer in order to maintain control of the land, and has expressed a

preference for developments that include build-first opportunities, wherein new housing is constructed before currently-occupied units are demolished and their residents displaced.

In order to meet the Obsolescence criteria, DCHA will need to complete another audit of Greenleaf and other identified properties, a process initiated this spring in part as the agency released an RFP this past March to find a third party to complete a Physical Needs Assessment (PNA) for the portfolio.

DCHA’s Board of Commissioners approved a resolution in July to award the PNA contract, and preliminary results for the prioritized 14 properties are expected by the end of the year. However, the current PNA process also highlights the inadequacy of the data that informed DCHA’s Transformation Plan, as DCHA representatives admitted to the Board that the 2016 assessments used in the Plan underrepresented the depth and scope of disrepair in the portfolio.

DCHA Chief of Planning, Design, and Construction Alex Morris explained during the July meeting: “I don’t want to offer too many aspersions against the 2016 document, but one of the things that, when we were speaking with the [Chief Financial Officer] CFO and speaking with the mayor’s budget office, their concerns about the 2016 document were, well, ‘Based upon the work that you did at the sites, do you think that the document was accurate, and how do we trust that the data in there is complete and thorough?’

“In doing work at Judiciary [House] and Ledroit [Apartments], based on the level of survey that was done and the document itself, we found our costs to be higher than what was depicted in the Capital Needs Assessment,” Morris continued. “So we’re going to be much more careful this time to not only project what’s visible, but also project the related infrastructure work and any other hidden conditions so that we get an accurate picture of what’s really needed.”

For this round, DCHA plans to involve more employees in reviewing the data from the upcoming PNA, and the results will also be inputted into the Office of the CFO’s Capital Asset Replacement Scheduling System (CARSS). Although DCHA does not anticipate additional properties being labelled as “Urgent”, the results of the PNA could necessitate amendments to the Transformation Plan, almost certainly including an increase in estimated costs and, perhaps, a reordering of priorities.

Despite delivering some of the country’s first public housing units, D.C. has had a disappointing record when it comes to managing its public housing stock, and more-ambitious attempts to revitalize the portfolio have often looked more like failed experiments causing further disruption for those meant to benefit.

This article was first-published by Greater Greater Washington on Sept. 4. (GGWash.org)

Eric thompson-Bey PHoto CoUrtesy oF roLando veLasCo.

Artist/Vendor Eric Thompson-Bey joined the Street Sense Media staff as an employee!

BIRTHDAYS Franklin Sterling Sept. 14 ARTIST/VENDOR

Antoinette Calloway Sept. 15 ARTIST/VENDOR

Terry Winslow Sept. 21 ARTIST/VENDOR

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NEWs

Amid Congressional gridlock, pressure mounts on DC to apply for $300 weekly federal unemployment benefits

By Avi BAjpAi And EunicE Sung Editorial Interns

M

level, we continue to study and review the complexities of thousands of dollars in debt, go homeless or hungry, or worse.” the FEMA grant and the President’s Executive Order in hopes At-large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, who chairs that Congress will work together on legislation that provides the D.C. Council Committee on Labor and Workforce the level and types of relief that millions of Americans need,” Development, agrees. In a statement, Silverman said the the spokesperson said. “The fact that nearly 20 states still have District should apply to the grant program as long as Trump’s not applied is indicative of the fact that executive order is “legally sufficient,” these chaotic, patchwork solutions are not adding that the main goal “is to keep what our country needs right now still, as these households and our local economy the Sept. 10 deadline approaches, we will as stable as possible in this uncertain continue to review the application.” time.” She said she has heard from some As of Sept. 8, 47 states have been workers asking why D.C. hasn’t yet approved by FEMA. During a press applied for the unemployment benefits. conference on Aug. 31, Bowser announced “Households are on the brink right D.C. would apply for the grant. By then, now. Unfortunately, I think the executive only two states had not applied. order and the Congressional deal are The $300 per week being offered by caught up in 2020 electoral politics,” the Trump administration is only half the Silverman said. “Let me be clear, for the amount that Congress was providing to sake of our country and our city, we need more than 28 million Americans until Trump voted out of office. But families the Federal Pandemic Unemployment shouldn’t face an economic abyss because Compensation (FPUC) benefits expired of presidential politics.” on July 25. And unlike the FEMA grant Silverman said she discussed the FEMA Elissa Silverman program, which re uires states to be grant program with Uni ue Morriscontributing at least $100 per person, Hughes, the director of the Department FPUC was available to anyone who was receiving some form of Employment Services (DOES), and was told by her that of jobless benefits. the decision on participating in the program would be made by As such, anyone receiving less than $100 in state UI benefits Bowser, who wants to see if a Congressional deal will happen. from the District would be ineligible if D.C. enrolled in the A spokesperson for Bowser did not respond to multiple program. According to Eliza Forsythe, a labor economist and re uests for comment by the time of publication. But in an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at UrbanaAug. 24 statement, a DOES spokesperson said the agency Champaign, that could be up to 6% of the people getting continues to evaluate the grant program ahead of the Sept. 10 regular UI benefits from D.C. deadline for applying. et despite these flaws with the grant program, as well “Despite the lack of leadership exhibited at the federal as concerns about the legality of Trump’s executive orders and the bureaucratic changes that need to be made to state unemployment insurance (UI) systems to administer the FEMA money, many states that were initially reluctant to apply are now seeking the grant funds.

Maryland and Virginia have already been approved for the program. Alena armosky, a spokesperson for Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, said in an email the state anticipates it could be three to four weeks before residents start receiving benefits, depending on when Virginia is approved, when funds are distributed and when necessary updates to the state’s UI infrastructure are made.

The District’s unemployment rate in July was 8.4%, up from 5.6 % in July 2019. In the week ending Aug. 1, a total of 87,000 people employed in the District were receiving some form of unemployment benefits, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis. And while daily unemployment compensation claims in D.C. have steadily decreased since April, when there were between 2500 and 3000 claims being filed each day, there are still roughly 200 to 400 claims currently being filed each day.

Many in the District still haven’t received their regular UI benefits from DOES in some cases despite applying months ago due to weeks-long delays, endless hold times when calling the department and a nearly two-decade-old website that is fre uently overrun with glitches, DCist reported this on Aug. 24.

The total number of individuals staying across the District’s low-barrier shelters has decreased by 39% since March. data courteSy of the d.c. departMent of huMan ServiceS, graph by avi bajpai The expiration of federal unemployment benefits that have ore than a month after the $600 per week federal unemployment benefits expired, Congress has yet to negotiate an extension of the program, and pressure is now mounting on D.C. to apply for the temporary relief measure being offered by the Trump administration.

After multiple stalled talks between Congressional leaders and the White House in late July, President Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 8 allocating $44 billion in federal disaster relief funds to be administered to states through the Lost Wages Assistance grant program.

Under this program, states can apply with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for $300 per week unemployment benefits per person for those who receive at least $100 in state benefits.

The District has publicly said very little about whether it will pursue the grant money. During an Aug. 17 press conference, Mayor Muriel Bowser briefly addressed the issue, saying she did not “fully appreciate the legality” of Trump’s executive actions and instead called on Congress to pass a bill.

Since then, there have been growing calls for D.C. to set aside its concerns and apply for the $300 weekly unemployment benefits to get thousands of people much-needed relief.

In an op-ed published in The Washington Post on Aug. 23, Megan Clark, a 38-year old single mother from Arlington, Virginia, currently on furlough, called on Bowser to reconsider her stance, writing that the extra $300 per week “would make all the difference to families in the same position as mine.”

“The maximum unemployment benefit in D.C. is $400 a week, after taxes. My rent is $1,700 a month,” Clark wrote.

“My family, as well as thousands of others, will not be able to afford the basic cost of living. We will be forced to go

Households are on the brink right now.

Unfortunately, I think the executive order and the Congressional deal are caught up in 2020 electoral politics.

S t r e e tSe n Se Me d i a . o r g

yet to be replaced for people employed in D.C., on top of that, has amplified existing financial hardships for many families, including paying rent and affording basic necessities.

According to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse survey, 26,000 tenants reported that they were behind on rent for the week ending July 21. As part of the District’s response to the public health emergency, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) implemented two new programs to help tenants who may have experienced disruptions in their ability to make rent payments.

According to DHCD Director Polly Donaldson, the Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program and the COVID19 Housing Assistance Program (CHAP) have offered a total of $7.7 million in rental assistance. As of Aug. 24, about 200 applications have been submitted to the TBRA Program and about 700 applications have been submitted to CHAP. Despite the steady increase in demand for rental assistance in each program, funding is still available for both, according to Donaldson.

There has also been a significant increase in families seeking assistance at the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center, which provides families with emergency housing and employment services. The center processed 771 and 889 re uests for help from families in June and July respectively, up from 532 re uests in May, according to data provided by the Department of Human Services (DHS). As of Aug. 20, Virginia Williams had already processed 442 re uests during this month.

Some data include duplicate numbers if families re uested help multiple times in a given month, a DHS spokesperson said.

At the same time that Virginia Williams saw an increase in families seeking assistance, fewer people have been staying at the District’s low-barrier shelters. Between March and August, the total number of individuals staying across all low-barrier shelters fell by 39%, as compared to a 28 percent decrease during the same period last year.

D.C. residents are also experiencing food insecurity as 63,000 adults in the District reported that their household sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat in the last seven days for the week ending July 21, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

Although it has been difficult for D.C. food banks and non-profit organizations to gauge any increased needs specifically due to the delay in the passage of a new relief

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bill, George Jones, CEO of Bread for the City, said residents have been bringing up uestions and concerns about accessing unemployment insurance.

“People are anxious about the discontinuation or even the reduction of unemployment benefits, in the words of our community members,” Jones said. “Three out of the four people we serve, primarily, aren’t working but we do know that people who are in service sector jobs or frontline jobs, if you will, turn to us for food and for access and for advice in our legal services and our social services because of the impact of the pandemic on their personal lives.”

Martha’s Table, another non-profit organization, continued operating under revised measures since March. Whitney Faison, the assistant director of communications for Martha’s Table, said needs have been accelerating since the outbreak of the public health crisis as the organization went from serving 2,000 residents per month through their food markets to 2,000 residents each week.

The number of families seeking assistance at Virginia Williams increased from 532 in May to 771 in June and 889 in July.

data courteSy of the d.c. departMent of huMan ServiceS, graph by avi bajpai

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“We’re not necessarily waiting for the government to make a decision. We are focused on making the decisions that are best for our neighbors and our families based on what they communicated to us and their needs,” Faison said.

The organization has also been supporting the 137 families enrolled in their early education program by providing over $1.2 million in cash assistance, grocery store gift cards, and a fourmonth supply of diapers, wipes and formula, according to Faison.

“We’re continuing to work with families on providing new cash transfers, cash assistance and those resources,” Faison said.

On August 26, Bowser and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced that more than 30 District-based non-profit organizations will receive up to $50,000 in grant assistance from the COVID-19 Nonprofit Support Grant, which totals nearly $1.5 million.

“No one has been spared from the economic impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” said Donaldson in the news release. “It’s usually nonprofit and community organizations that are relied upon and able to assist people in times of need, but these are uni ue circumstances. Our goal is to help eligible organizations by offering a small capital infusion.”

Since March, the District passed several COVID-19 relief bills in order to further support residents through addressing issues such as evictions, rental assistance and unemployment.

During the latest meeting for this year’s budget season, the Council included provisions to expand eligibility for a COVIDera cash grant measure so that informal or cash economy workers who are excluded from receiving unemployment insurance and other benefits may be covered. The Council also extended the current rent control law for 10 more years, though discussions will continue for further reform.

Still, the need to supplement unemployment benefits for thousands of people employed in the District remains urgent.

When asked if D.C. could temporarily increase its regular jobless benefits while waiting for a Congressional deal, Silverman said “I wish we could, but the District of Columbia government is facing the same situation many households are facing Our costs remain the same or are increasing, while the money coming in is decreasing.”

“We need the federal government’s help,” she said.

As Street Sense went to press, Bowser and DOES announced that D.C.’s application for the FEMA Supplemental Lost Wages grant was accepted. Payments will be retroactive back to Aug. 1, and D.C. expects recipients will start receiving payments by the first week of October, according to the press release.

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OPINION

‘Black Lives Matter’ reforms should include bringing incarcerated DC residents home

Hold police accountable — by voting

BY ROBERT BARTON

BY MARCUS GREEN

This column was first published by TheDCLine.org on Aug. 31.

At a time when D.C. residents are joining people around the country to demand less punitive policing and more community-driven solutions, it may be surprising that a Black man incarcerated since the age of 16 would argue for the construction of both a new jail and a prison for the District. But I am. Hear me out.

About 4,100 DC residents who have been convicted of felonies (virtually all of whom are Black) are currently incarcerated in federal institutions because the District doesn’t have its own prison. In 2001, D.C. closed its sole prison — Lorton Correctional Complex, which was located 20 miles from the District — in the aftermath of a fiscal crisis, transferring incarceration responsibility to the federal government. Despite an agreement to place D.C. residents in facilities less than 500 miles away, about two-thirds of us now are separated by thousands of miles from the family connections so vital to basic mental health, much less rehabilitation.

I grew up in Southeast D.C., and despite having a loving, dedicated mother, I was sucked into street life like so many other youths in the city’s impoverished, neglected core. One month past my 16th birthday, I went for a ride with my co-defendant (one of my “street” role models), looking for rival crew members. Long story short: My co-defendant fired one shot out of the window of the car, killing one of our rivals. I was sent to prison for murder as an “aider and abettor.”

I have spent the last 25 years in 14 federal warehouses (a.k.a. penitentiaries) scattered across the country — each staffed by too few poorly trained guards, which means we are locked down more than half the time. The result is institutions that act more like incubators for dysfunction and violence than facilitators of rehabilitation. Equally as damaging, this has meant 14 different moves for me — and for my mother and anyone else who has hung in there with me.

There is probably nothing more important to rehabilitation than connection to family. Most prisons are located in remote, rural townships far from airports and train stations, making it expensive and logistically difficult for family members — most of whom are lowincome — to visit. At the same time, people incarcerated in federal institutions are only allowed 300 minutes of phone time per month.

When I was shipped to Louisiana in 2002 at the age of 21, my mother could only afford to visit me one time over the course of two and a half years. Imagine how devastating that was to a young man who was essentially growing up in prison.

It wasn’t until 2018, some 23 years into my incarceration, that I experienced the benefits of rehabilitation — supposedly one of the purposes of imprisonment. When I was transferred from Florida to the D.C. Jail while awaiting a court hearing, I was accepted into the Georgetown Prison Scholars program, which offered the opportunity to interact with students and teachers on the outside. I was also chosen to be a mentor in the Young Men Emerging Unit, an innovative rehabilitation unit for 18- to 25-year-olds in the D.C. Jail.

For the first time in decades, I was treated like a human being worthy of development. (It’s estimated that for every $1 invested in education in prison, taxpayers save $4 to $5 in re-incarceration costs during the first three years post-release.)

However, this is all sort of a waste if most D.C. residents who enter the District’s jail are sent into the far-flung, dehumanizing federal prison system after an average of five months. I had an unusually long stay (two years), due to delays in my court hearings and then the spread of COVID-19 (I was among the infected). But now, as this is published, I am being sent back to a federal penitentiary in Florida — 837 miles and 12 hours from my family, with no development opportunities. It is time for D.C. to take responsibility for its residents and bring us home.

Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget proposal called for about $5 million for architectural planning for a new jail and an $18.5 million increase for the police. But African American communities are already over-policed, and the D.C. Council rightfully cut the latter by $9.6 million. We should not, however, axe the funds for a new jail, as some have called for.

Although the D.C. Jail is a leader when it comes to education, it is decrepit and unhealthy. What I propose is a small, reimagined combination of jail and prison that offers the jail’s model rehabilitation programs to everyone — serving as an example for the nation of how incarceration could be productive.

Meanwhile, the reinvestment in communities made possible by “defunding” the police can be used to achieve the larger goal: reversing mass incarceration and keeping people out of jails and prisons in the first place.

For the first time in decades, I was treated like a human being worthy of development.

Police need to be held accountable. Their cowardly acts against young brothers are unacceptable. Look at Jacob Blake, shot in the back multiple times by an officer in Wisconsin and left paralyzed from the waist down. The officer, Rusten Sheskey, has yet to be charged.

Our whole system is a joke compared with other nations around the world. Judges, senators, prosecutors, and police take an oath that needs to be upheld to the fullest. In the United States — where you need to duck bullets from police in the hood, from Blackon-Black violence, from vigilantes — there’s not much of a life expectancy past your 20s.

Then there’s the 17-year-old murder suspect who shot at three people during the protests over what happened to Blake, killing two of them. How did he even get an assault weapon?

Whether his parents helped him since he is under age or someone else sold it to him wrongfully or helped him obtain it illegally — they should be held accountable. And yes, the 17-year-old should be tried as an adult.

May God have mercy on all of their souls.

I hope and pray that we finally get a new beginning in November. President Donald Trump had no business getting elected in the first place. The Republicans, Trump, and others have been saying we’re moving in the right direction with the economy. But we can see that’s not the case. Action with our votes is the way we can move this country forward.

I will probably mail my ballot in. I don’t trust Trump, the postmaster, or Facebook, and all these different platforms could affect the election.

The poor, the homeless, and the uninsured are among the most affected. I’m optimistic about November. We really need that fool out of the White House.

Marcus Green is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Robert Barton is a D.C. resident in his 25th year of incarceration.

He blogs about his experience at medium.com/@istikame. Before he was abruptly transferred back into the federal prison system, Barton planned and helped organize an online teach-in on justice reforms needed for D.C. Hosted by Attorney General Karl Racine, the session will take place Sept. 14 at 5:30 p.m., with a pre-recorded statement from Barton. To obtain a Zoom link, email registration@justicepolicy.org.

Donald Trump speaking at CPAC 2011 in D.C.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network with Esaw Garner, widow of Eric Garner, at a 2014 protest in the Staten Island neighborhood where Eric Garner died while in police custody. PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS ALTFATHER GOOD / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO COURTESY OF GERD ALTMANN / PIXABAY

DC is failing preschoolers and their working parents

BY AIDA PERRY

The pandemic is a challenging time to have young children under the age of five years — not only for the toddlers but also for mom and dad. (Unless you are doing home schooling, then it doesn’t matter.)

My daughter and son-in-law are both four-year college graduates. They both have had to take some mini-courses in order to be hired during the pandemic, even though their jobs are part-time.

In the meantime, both parents have toddlers under the age of 5 years old. Virtual learning isn’t an option for the kids because of their attention span: The children can look at computer screens for no more than five minutes, if that much.

Teachers during the pandemic are willing to do child development for children under five years of age, but some want to be paid $23 an hour—no matter if the parents are single, married, or working during reduced hours.

This is ridiculous! The city of D.C. and the Board of Education have totally forgotten parents that have children under five years old. Three- or fouryear-olds can’t do virtual learning.

I n l i g h t o f r e d u ce d w o r k i n g hours, the city should allow young parents with low incomes to be able to obtain a voucher to hire a solo teacher for children under the age of five years. The teacher could be a contractor for the city.

Average rent in D.C. in a decent neighborhood is $1,500 a month for a one-bedroom! Single parents or married couples are struggling to make that rent on time. So to be told that they have to shell out $23 per hour in order for their children to do pre-school is unfair and discriminatory towards young people that are willing to work during this pandemic.

Parents that have school-age children didn’t have to figure this out because their children’s attention span to do virtual learning is better. They can stare at a computer a bit longer, then they take a break then go back online with no problems. The city hasn’t done enough for parents that have preschoolers.

The city hasn't done enough for parents that have preschoolers.

Aida Perry is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Time for Sharpton to step aside

BY COLLY DENNIS

For Rev. Al Sharpton to take advantage of George Floyd's death — leading a “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” March on Washington in August — is nothing but a total disgrace to everyone who has died at the hands of law enforcement. I give him credit for his past work with the civil rights movement, but I think it's time for him to pass the torch to the new generation.

There's a big disconnect between the younger generation and the older generation.

Someone like Rev. Al Sharpton cannot relate to what they are going through. Most of the protesters are young adults, so someone who is from an earlier generation won't understand what people are going through when they get pulled over, get shot, killed, maimed, or handcuffed for minor misdemeanors.

The march could have been led by some people the younger generation can relate to.

Rev. Al Sharpton should have endorsed one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter — he didn't have to say he was going to lead the march. There are so many young leaders from Seattle, Minneapolis, New York City,

even D.C. We have young leaders who are over by the White House all the time.

Sharpton has no solutions for what is going on with policing and the criminal justice system. Just marching down Independence Avenue does not solve anything. It only garners temporary attention with the media and the public. After all the hubbub is over, the march is all but forgotten. The march is nothing but all for profit. I've seen people making shirts, hats for this march. Even the masks say Black Lives Matter and such.

Someone is already banking on this one.

Rev. Al Sharpton should absolutely have nothing to do with this march. The new generation of young people should have been approached to lead it. He should have passed the torch to the new generation. The younger crowd has been cheated out of the chance to be given a platform for what's really going on with the police and the criminal justice system.

Colly Dennis is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

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1 2 // S T REET SENS E ME DI A / / S E P T. 9 - 2 2 , 2 020

ART

My hopes are high

BY JOSHUA FAISON // Artist/Vendor

Two personal goals of mine are to be a successful entrepreneur and to achieve stable housing. I have been homeless now for 10 months and housing is my top priority.

I am currently receiving Social Security for schizophrenia and bipolar disorderso I sell Street Sense for extra income.

Returning back to Street Sense Media sales is a blessing. I can and I will admit that sales are kind of slow due to the coronavirus, but I still managed to scrape up a little bit of money.

I’ve changed my location which is now at 6th and H streets NE, right in front of the Whole Foods Market. I figured that everybody needs to eat and since food is a necessity it would work out for me by selling Street Sense newspapers right in front. I’ve met some new people and they have been very nice to me, giving me

donations and treating me to Starbucks drinks.

When the coronavirus pandemic is over I am going to go back and sell papers at my old location, which is near 13th and G streets NW. But for now I am selling Street Sense in front of the Whole Foods Market.

Personally, I love this location.I usually have to work a four to sixhour shift just to see $60.00, but the work is worth my while.

I need to humble myself and work on my patience, so I can become successful. I love my life and I am very grateful for what I have already.

I currently stay at the Blair House, a transitional rehabilitation facility for men. Hopefully, I will get out of the transitional house and will receive my own housing soon. I know receiving housing is not so easy, but my faith and my hopes are high.

I usually have to work a four-to-sixhour shift just to see $60, but the work is worth my while.

Panic, Pandemia, Plague.

Sighing, Searching, Sorrowing…

For the sloped Solider — by (Nats), Shoulders of the Burgjj-in-Chief; Portends nothing— But loss, and grief!

ILLUSTRATION BY FREDERIC JOHN

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a jeremiad as “A lamentation; a writing or speech in a strain of grief or distress; a doleful complaint; a complaining tirade; a lugubrious effusion.

BY PATTY SMITH // Artist/Vendor

It was a windy day in Chicago As a lady got out of cab A man saw her drop all of her books Watched them tumble out of the taxi He rushed to help her And then it was so windy Luckly, she lived in an apartment nearby A tall building right outside the cab The man helped her inside There they talked and got to know each other After two months going together They were dating

A timely jeremiad

BY FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

Beloved

But one day she she went to a library Where she saw him with another woman They got in a fight, then they made up the next night Making passionate love

Sales have been tough

But when he fell asleep She slipped out of the apartment Then her husband came in And shot the boyfriend

BY DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

So far, I haven't sold any newspapers on 19th Street at all. My area is closed. But, believe me I am still trying to sell our Street Sense papers on my corner. All I can say, my customers are always very generous toward me.

Now, I haven't seen my good friend Chris on 19th Street since last year. He worked in the CVS building, then he moved. That really hurt me. He was giving $20.00 for one paper.

He was a real good friend.

I miss my pizza girls too. They’d make me a sandwich or let me get some soda. They’re real nice people. Same building.

Another guy that works in the building, Thomas, is still there in the evenings at least.

He’s real nice, too.

I used to go to the GW Hospital and study my scriptures. Last time I was up there they didn't have it open. The hospital was open, but the Starbucks was closed. I said, “Winter times coming up, what am I gonna do?” I ain't got nothing but my mom’s left.

Happy Place

BY DARLESHA JOYNER Artist/Vendor

My happy place is loving myself, all day everyday.

Taking peace in myself, taking pictures and not thinking about tomorrow. People are irritating my soul.

I thank God for my kids. They truly make me happy and good.

Listening to music, enjoying our love together.

I got to get back to enjoy the things I like to do that my daddy showed me like my favorite places to skate, walking in the park playground, traveling, and just enjoying life.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 13

It’s OK to stand out and stand up

BY REGINALD “THE ORIGINAL” DENNY // Artist/Vendor

I thank God for his tender mercies and grace towards an undone wretch like me. To God be the glory for the great things he has rooted in my life. I am truly, truly, truly grateful for His miracle-working power and His unfailing love towards me. I am the “original” Reginald Denny and there is no other like me, for God created me in His image. I am unique and set apart by God's grace.

For a long time now, I've always tried to fit in where I could get in. See, I was always the kind of guy who desired that everyone would like me and I felt that everyone should have my best interest at heart. Oh was I sadly mistaken. Always trying to live up to others’ standards landed me up depressed and distraught for the feelings of not being accepted by them.

Sometimes I allowed people to talk me out of dreams I had for success and grandeur. They made me feel like I wasn't good enough. My bouts with self-esteem issues and fear of success kept me from attaining goals and completing that which I had set out to do. I can remember as far back as elementary, junior high, and high school that it was always my passion to sing, dance, and act.

I was also very athletic. I was on the basketball team and Boys Club boxing team. Even with all these gifts and talents, I still did not feel like I was good enough to excel at any of them. I had an emptiness and void that was not being fulfilled.

I really had a passion for singing and dancing more so than athleticism. But dancing and singing at the time was not accepted

by my peers. It's just wasn't the “manly” thing to do during my era of growing up in the ‘70s. So I hid the fact that I desired to be like the actors of the movie “Fame.” Fear of acceptance stifled me from venturing on my “softer” talents. I wanted to fit in with the status quo, with “the boys in the hood” — with the hard heads! I kinda feel like I missed my calling.

As time went on, I began to gravitate towards hanging out with the less desirable. This was the easier way of life for a guy like me. I was pretty good in academics and I got good grades. But I was hard-headed and wanted to do things my own way and not the right way. I began drinking alcohol and using illicit drugs around the tender young age of 12. I never knew what this learned behavior would set in motion. By 11th grade, I became uninterested and bored with my studies. As some might say, I caught that bad disease of know-it-all-ism.

At this point, no one could tell me anything that I figured I already knew. In my mind, I was a grown-grass-man, for the sake of better words. My attention span for school stuff grew shorter to the point that I decided to drop out and get a job like adult people do. Absentee father, mother burdened with two jobs and total responsibility of care and upkeep of a house full of kids — I figured I would be one less liability by making money to care for myself. I believed my own lie.

Who’s fooling who? Well, I began work at the commissary on a military base. I enjoyed working there because it gave me

a source of independence and I felt like less of a burden on my mom. I really thought I was a productive citizen because I obtained money and finance to get what I desired. Little did I know that my decision to abort my education would end me up in a bad way.

It did not take long for me to get totally immersed in the “lifestyle” of doing whatever it was I desired, regardless of the circumstance. I bit the apple of life and began to experience some of its pleasures that would eventually bring on my demise, spiritually and socially. I became so self-absorbed, almost narcissistic, that I was full of sh**! And I was reeking of its stench and aroma.

There were times I could not stand to be with my own self.

I was truly out of control and did not want to accept it. “All I got is me,” I’d convincingly remind myself, “all I need is self-love and I’ll be fine.” Wrong answer.

I was already damaged by that get-in-where-you-can-fit-in syndrome, I had always felt that I needed others to be complete.

And when I was not accepted, I isolated from those ill feelings and other people, which left me alone and desolate. In turn, I engulfed myself in Seagram’s gin and Windsor Canadian whiskey bottles. I was addicted to alcohol very early on and didn’t actually realize the severity of these flavors. This was my out, that feel-good sensation. No matter what was going on at the time, I had no worries and instant gratification, with or without people around.

My life story, Part 4

BY DAN HOOKS // Artist/Vendor

Laugh, don’t cry

BY QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE Artist/Vendor

I laugh so I won’t cry.

It’s not a cover up, I must laugh or cry, or die!

Things are rough and tough.

We all do what it takes to get by.

Easy for some, hard as hell for others.

Because of faith in God, Laugh, don’t cry.

Just don’t die on me.

I thank God for having a praying mother. She saw to it that all her kids know who God was, and this has kept me in God’s hands all my life.

I had to attend church each and every Sunday. And until this day God has kept me. When I think back on having to go to church, it was the best thing for me and my brothers.

My brothers and I had a singing group and we sang all up and down the North and the South. We went as far as New York up North and South Carolina down South.

There’s one thing I don’t seem to understand so well: How could I outlive my whole family, living the lifestyle that I have lived? My whole family is dead.

My baby brother passed at the age of 37 of AIDS, in 2001. My mother passed this life in 2003 from high blood pressure, at the age of 61. Then my only other brother left this world in 2005 from the use of too many drugs, at the age of 44. My dad was the last to pass in 2011, at the age of 71.

Living the way I did there is no way I should have outlived my old family.

But I do understand today that God kept me here for a reason. I have OD’d on dope about 13 times. I’ve had guns pointed at me, and the person holding it pulling the trigger, but God would not let the gun fire. In my

life I have done so many things that could have gotten me killed. But God didn’t have it planned for me to die that way.

When I think back over my life, I’ve been better than blessed. That’s why I try to be a blessing to someone else each and every day of my life today.

I remember when we used to go to South Carolina every summer to my parents’ hometown. It was so much fun to be in the country where the air was so fresh and the people were so nice.

But I always wonder how my life would have been had I been born in South Carolina.

My mother moved to D.C. in October 1959 and I was born in November 1959. I was almost born in South Carolina. A lot of my life, I wish I had been born in South Carolina. Then I might not have ever went to jail for as long as I have.

I have been in jails all over the US. I’ve been locked up in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.

The most time I’ve done was nine years straight.

But when I look back over my life I’ve been better than blessed. God has kept me even when I didn’t care anything about myself. And I thank him each and every day.

1 4 // ST REET SENS E ME DI A / / S E P T. 9 - 2 2 , 2020

FUN & GAMES Challenging Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 20, Book 45

Treading the Waters, Part 29

Sudoku #3 4 2

6 5

7 4 8 1 2

8 6 6

8 1 4 9

2

5

1 7

3

6

6 5 1 4 2 1 3 7 8 6 9 8 4 3 7 2 5

3

9

7

9

1

5 2 8 8 4 3 6 1 8 5 3 9 1 6 4 6 2 9 7 7 6 8 5 5 7 1 2 2 3 4 9

4

3 4

Sudoku #4 2 4 1 6 7 3 5 1 8 6 9 7 3 1 8 2 6 9 2 5 4 5 7 8 9 2 3 4 1 7 4 3 5 8 6 9

9 8 5 4 2 8 3 5 1 6 9 4 7 4 3 1 3 2 5 7 6 8 6 9 2 1 7

8 2 3 7 4 5 9 1 6

7

3

6 4 2 9

5

7

1 6 8 2 3

8 9 5 4

2

5

1

3

5

3 5 2 1 3 4 4 7 6 7 8 1 6 9 5 5 2 7

8 1 4 3 6

Sudoku #6 6 1 7 9 3 9 8 5 2 4 5 1 4 6 2 8 5 7 1 6 8 3 9 2 7 2 6 4 9 8 4 3 1 5 3 7

7 6

Sudoku #8 9 3 2 8 4 5 6 7 1 4 8 7 6 1 9 5 2 3

9

6 9 2 4 8 7

2

1

8

6 3 2 8

2 4

9

When we were last with Gerald, he was running the streets of New Orleans with his friend, Minew. Minew was talking to Muscles, a woman who was also involved with a major operator, Sam Skully, a dough boy. And things were getting heavy...

Me and Minew, we kicking it and I say, “Man, I think Sam is going to get over that shit.”

And after a while, shit got better.

Sam ain’t f***ing with us with the drugs. We ain’t f***ing with him. The girl was staying with Sam but Minew would call her. © 2019 KrazyDad.com He got up one day and said, “Man, Challenging Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 20, Book 45 I want a heavyweight champ anytime Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9. girl, you know what I do…”

Sudoku #2 He’d tell the dudes, “You better If you use logicFill you in can solve the puzzle without guesswork.

SUDOKU: 8 2 4 3 5 9 7 6 1 keep your girls around. I pull that the blank squares Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. so each the row, Usethat it to identify next square 3 should 7 solve.

6 4 Or 2use the 9 answers 1 you 8 5 page heavyweight champ girl. You know if you really get stuck. each column and what I’d do to your girl!”

6 5 9 1 7 8 3 2 4 each 3-by-3 block I said to myself, “Maannn... This contain all of the 4 7 8 9 3 5 2 1 6 n**** braggin’ on this sh** here.” Boy, digits 1-9. it’s the worst thing he could ever do.

5 9 3 2 6 1 4 7 8 One day we was sitting back and we 2 1 6 7 8 4 5 9 3 got busted on a gun charge. They went LAST 7 6 1 5 9 3 8 4 2 in the game room, the pool hall, and all EDITION’S that. They searched the garbage cans 9 8 5 4 2 6 1 3 7 PUZZLE SOLUTION >> and came out with a .357 magnum.

3 4 2 8 1 7 6 5 9 And Minew like, “Who the f***?”

4 6

1 7 8 3 6 8 7 4 4 5 5 2 9 1 2 9

Liberals don't care what people do, as long as it's compulsory.

9

BY GERALD ANDERSON // Artist/Vendor

9 7

4

3

4 1 6 6 9 7 8 9 5 3 1 3 2 8 9 1 6 4 7 8 1 5 3 5 7 6 2 2 8 9 4 7

You know he ain’t gonna give up himself and I ain’t gonna give up myself.

I said to the police, “Man, what beef you got with the garbage can?”

The police said, “Motherf***er, stop lying. That’s how you want to get down?”

I said, “Yeah! My beef with the garbage can.”

He said, “Oh, you wanna be smart.”

Minew said, “Yeah, I’m going with what my man say. The garbage can!”

So the police told me, “Man, you know what we gonna do: take both y’all in. I don’t know who owns the piece.”

I said, “Ain’t no problem with me, man.”

So we rode back to the jail and got booked. I couldn’t bond out, but Minew did.

I said, “Dirty mother***er man” Honestly, the gun wasn’t mine. It wasn’t even his. It was somebody else that put it in the garbage.

I stayed in the jail almost a year fighting the gun charge. Minew sent me a little money here and there. One thing about killers, they’re not coming to visit, but they’ll drop you some ends off. Win your loyalty.

Like a year later I came back and went in front of the judge. I beat the gun charge. They didn’t find the proper

cause to hold me on the gun charge.

But what I did was I got caught up on my probation, because I was refusing to go see my probation officer.

So the judge gave me a second charge and was gonna send me to the Impact Program, where you go to a bootcamp. The judge said I had to do 60 months in bootcamp, and good behavior, then I’d be sent home.

I ain’t gonna lie to you, I couldn’t have went there for six months. I heard in bootcamp they make you get on your back and say you a cockroach. I heard all kinda things about the bootcamp.

I stopped the judge and said, “Your honor, I swear, I ain’t near thinking I can go to bootcamp.”

I said, “Look… Anyway I can go do a year?”

The judge said, “No, but you can go do 18 months.”

A gun charge carries 18 months to three years.

So I took the 18 months, which was already down a year, credit for time served, running concurrent with my probation. Six more months to go.

To be continued. Gerald’s first book, “Still Standing: how an ex-con found salvation in the floodwaters of Katrina” is available on Amazon.com

Author Gene Weingarten is a college dropout and a nationally syndicated humor columnist for The Washington Post. Author Dan Weingarten is a former college dropout and a current college student majoring in information technology. Many thanks to Gene Weingarten and The Washington Post Writers Group for allowing Street Sense to run Barney & Clyde.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

(202) 399-7093

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Showers Duchas

All services listed are referral-free Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org

Bread for the City - 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 - 1640 Good Hope Rd., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Good Hope Rd., SE calvaryservices.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 ID (Friday 9am–12pm only) foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities

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

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

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

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

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd St., NW jobshavepriority.org

Charlie’s Place // 202-232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org

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

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

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

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Road 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 Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

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

N Street Village // 202-939-2060 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW dccfh.org

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

Laundry Lavandería

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 // 202-333-4949 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

JOB BOARD Community health worker Unity Health Care Full-time // 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The community health worker will provide accurate information to clients about PrEP, preventing HIV transmission, as well as other STIs, the benefits and challenges of PrEP and other STI treatment, and how to access available services.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or equivalent.

Extensive experience with HIV, substance abuse, incarceration, homelessness and other issues facing out of care HIV+ individuals.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/unity-health-worker

Patient food tray assembler Sibley Memorial Hospital // Palisades Part-time // 30-39 hours /week. 4-8 p.m., rotating weekends

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

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699 1500 Galen Street SE, 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, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

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

The assembler assembles patient trays by putting the correct food items on them. They will check the line to verify that all trays are accurate. They may also need to help deliver patient trays as needed. The assembler also works in the dish room to breakdown trays and run through dish machine.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or equivalent.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/sibley-assembler

In-store shopper Whole Foods Market // Pleasant Plains Part-time // 4 a.m. or 6 a.m. shifts In-Store Shoppers fulfill Amazon Prime Now customer orders, preparing Whole Foods Market products for delivery and/or pickup.

Whole Foods’ offerings will continue to evolve and they will shop throughout the store for everyday goods including food, and household items.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or equivalent.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/in-store-shopper

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

Stocker Aldi

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org

Part-time Unloads and unpacks items and stocks shelves with received inventory.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or equivalent.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/aldi-stocker

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

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

// 15

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

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

Where wo ld

e witho t fishing

BY JEFFERY MCNEIL Artist/Vendor

B

efore I started writing for Street Sense, I grew up on the Jersey Shore.

No matter what I went through in life, whether I was successful or had nothing, the one thing I seem to maintain was a love of fishing.

The best memories I have in life are my fish stories.

I learned to fish from my father, who was a country boy from Ohio and who had the pleasure of living on the Muskingum River, a large tributary that flows down to the Ohio River.

I remember the first time my father took me fishing. It was in early spring 1975, I was eight years old, and my dad bought me an old Zebco push button reel and a graphite Garcia rod.

We drove to Point Pleasant, New Jersey to fish the Manas uan River. My father Bishop T. McNeil was a real fisherman. he would dig for worms and clams and wasn’t afraid to wade the frigid New Jersey waters with a seining net to catch minnows.

Back in the 70s, the Jersey Shore could have competed with Florida or the Gulf Coast as one of the prime fisheries in America. There was a time on the Jersey shore when you could cast your line in the water and catch a different species of fish on every cast. Sometimes the fish would be in so thick they called them blitzes, where the bluefish, striped bass, and false Albacore would corral the bait onto the shore and you could just scoop them up. I remember filling up burlap bags of fish and never worrying about food.

The first fish I ever caught was a winter flounder. They are easy fish to catch when they’re in but the trick is they like deep water with flat muddy bottoms. They have small mouths so you have to be still. On light tackle they can give you a tussle.

But flounder are some of the best-tasting fish on the planet and you can grill or fry them.

That first fish began my love of fishing. I consider myself a bottom fisherman. While some people love fishing with lures and bobbers, there was something about having a sinker on the bottom of an ocean or lake that fascinates me.

There was something about dragging my rod along the bottom feeling something tug, setting the hook, and not knowing what you have.

Don’t get me wrong: Using lures and live bait can be exciting, but I find bottom fishing more enjoyable. Plus, bottom fishing is much more relaxing because you can just put a chunk of

bait on, let the line hug the bottom, and read a book or watch a video until something bites.

When I left home, I was lucky to travel the world and managed to fish in Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, and California.

I have caught every fish from bluefin tuna and swordfish, to giant reef sharks.

I loved fishing so much, I even tried working as a commercial fisherman. It didn’t work out so well because I got seasick, plus its dangerous work, some people fell overboard and other ships were lost at sea. I remember a time being off the coast of Maine when a Nor’easter hit. It was awful. I will never forget the howling winds, raindrops that felt like knives and snow.

We made it onshore, I got my money and never looked back.

After that, I took a sabbatical from fishing. I found other hobbies such as playing poker and writing and I put fishing on the backburner. However, fishing is like riding a bike.

When the coronavirus struck I was bored out of my mind because I couldn’t work or sell newspapers, so I took up fishing again.

I’d never fished D.C. but I always found the Potomac River interesting because of its creeks and canals. I used to walk the canals and see large splashes. The competitive juices came back and I was back into fishing.

While New Jersey has some great rivers and streams for trout and bass, the Potomac has some giant fish. I was looking for a river monster, so I began watching videos of local fishermen.

My two favorites are Catfish and Carp and Chunky Catfish. The competitor in me kept me enthused. I was frustrated, I would either get no bites or catch little eels, but the river monster eluded me. Then I decided to buy live goldfish, and I began catching monsters.

I threw my line in the water and a catfish slammed it. I tugged and the catfished tugged back and started peeling my reel. Then the fish started splashing as she tried to throw the hook.

This went on for about 30 minutes as we both became exhausted. The fish was so big it pulled me and my pole in the river. I’m 53 years old and that fish and I rolled down the hill and I fell in the river trying to drag this beast in.

I got my trophy catfish a femaile that weighed 31 pounds.

I don’t eat the catfish, I release them. Particularly females, because they lay millions of eggs.

Some fish I will eat on the Virginia side like crappies, bluegills, walleyes, and bass. I would like to catch a snakehead, which are very prized.

I don’t know where I will be right now if there was no place to go fishing.

L.I.F.E. PART 2:

Black Lives Matter

BY RON DUDLEY, A.K.A. “POOKANU” Artist/Vendor

Black lives matter like all life matters if all life matters, then Black lives matter But I still get called a coon Because I say, “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” And sometimes “Good evening” Some people I see, they only happy when I'm leaving So I'mma start staying a little bit longer I know life can only make you stronger I was told that my color don't make me a brother I was told that I should be dead just like my mother I was told that life and death was a choice Can't you tell that life's in my voice?

Hope she got a baby in her stomach — that's life Every time her belly move it let her know it's alive See, life is the beginning and the ending of death Now sit back and listen and take a deep breath I remember the times that I wish I was dead Suicidal thoughts, they stayed up in my head Somehow, someway, God gave me life And it made me pray God told me to send the world a deep message: Black lives matter, don't you ever forget it.

My life is your life and your life is mine Please, police, don't shoot Because I'm Black all the time Black lives matter.

You can read the 2018 poem “L.I.F.E. (Life Is For Everybody)” at streetsensemedia.org/life. Pookanu’s latest CD, “Father’s Day,” is available at pookanu.bandcamp.com

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

From your vendor SEPT. 9 - 22, 2020 | VOLUME 17 ISSUE 23

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