10 12 2011 by Street Sense Media

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Volume 8: Issue 24 October 12 - 25, 2011

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issues of inequality, poverty, war and peace take center stage at freedom plaza pgs 8 - 9

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City outlines winter plan for the homeless

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COMING FRIDAY 10/14:

Non-Profit champion Robert Egger weighs in on progressive protests

North American Street Newspaper Association

Minority students feel a heavier hand of discipline

COVER ART Retired Military Officer Ron Saeger (left) sits-in at Freedom Plaza on Saturday while behind, other protesters display a sign aimed to get the attention of the crowd attending the Taste of DC. “I am prepared to stay here for two weeks,” said Saegar. “If we don’t get this seed planted, I’ll come back.”

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@streetsensedc /streetsensedc 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, dozens of volunteers. Nearly 30,000 copies are in circulation each month.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mary Otto

INTERNS Mary Clare Fischer, Sarah Fleishman, Jill Frey, Sarah Hogue, Nicole M. Jones, Case Keltner, Randy Meza, Hannah Morgan, Anna Katharine Thomas, Hannah Traverse

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laura Thompson Osuri

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1. Street Sense will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $1. I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Street Sense by any other means. 2) I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers). 3) I agree to treat all others – customers, staff, other vendors – respectfully, and I will not “hard sell.” (threaten or pressure customers) 4. I agree to stay off private property when selling Street Sense. 5. I understand that I am not a legal employee of Street Sense but a contracted worker responsible for my own well–being and income.

6. I agree not to sell any additional goods or products when selling the paper. 7. I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 8. I agree to stay a block away from another vendor and respect the space of all vendors. 9. I understand that my badge is the property of Street Sense and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge and wear my vest when selling papers. 10. I understand that Street Sense strives to produce a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word.

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STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

NEWS IN BRIEF Homeless woman killed by NYPD According to ABC News in New York, NYPD officers shot and killed a 57-yearold homeless woman in Manhattan after she lunged at them with two ornamental knives. The incident occurred on the evening of Sunday, October 2 on East 45th Street, directly in front of the New Providence shelter where the woman lived. Police were called to the shelter, which cares for drug addicts and the mentally ill, when the woman brandished the knives during an argument with a friend. Officers say the woman ignored repeated orders to drop the knives. They fired several shots when the woman raised one knife in a plunging position. The woman was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Health benefits of pickup soccer According to an October 3 TIME magazine article, studies show that playing pickup soccer can significantly improve the health of homeless individuals. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Exeter, provided soccer training to a group of homeless men two

to three times a week for about three months. At the end of the study, those who participated in training had less body fat and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than a control group of homeless men who did not receive soccer training. The study found that many homeless individuals routinely get low-intensity physical activity from simply walking the streets every day but do not get the kind of high-intensity physical activity that is important for cardiovascular health. Soccer provides heart-healthy exercise and encourages social interaction helps combat the depression many homeless individuals experience researchers said.

Britney Spears in search of homeless man According to the Huffington Post, pop star Britney Spears is searching for a homeless man who was photographed holding a cardboard sign that read “Need to get new Britney Spears CD. Anything will help. God Bless.” Spears posted the photograph on her Twitter page, adding that she would provide the man with her entire catalog if anyone could help her find him. Spears is currently on her Femme Fatale tour in Europe.

HBO star reveals past as a homeless hooker Thomas Jane, who plays a gigolo on the HBO comedy-drama series “Hung”, revealed in an October 3 article in the Los Angeles Times that, out of desperation, he once actually made his living as a gigolo. When Jane moved to Hollywood at age 18, he lived out of his car and did not have a serious job. He performed sexual favors for other men in order to get food and money.

20 days in jail for seeking shelter under a hotel loading dock during a thunderstorm. Stewart said that before this policy was in place, he spent eight hours in jail for public intoxication. Now he might spend up to a month. Critics of the policy say government funds should go to helping chronic offenders find placement in shelters and sobriety programs. COMPILED BY HANNAH TRAVERSE FROM PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED REPORTS

Controversy: Nashville Police Department targeting chronic offenders Earlier this year, Davidson County, Tennessee launched an initiative to reduce misdemeanor arrests and cut tax payer expenses by requiring harsher punishments for those who were arrested 17 times or more in 2010. Though this policy has reduced the number of misdemeanor crimes, many argue the homeless are unfairly targeted. Because placement on the chronic offender list is related to a person’s number of arrests, not the nature of his crimes, many homeless people make it on the list for minor trespassing incidents. Richard Stewart, a homeless man who was arrested 47 times in 2010, recently spent

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BE PREPARED call1(800)535.7252

The biggest thing for all of us is making sure space that has been identified [as shelter and outreach space] is available to those who need them. - Chapman Todd, division director for housing and support services

Catholic Community Services

for specific winter shelter openings, help, and info

(SHELTER HOTLINE)

visit TextAlert.ema.ed.gov and sign up to receive a text meesage when hypothermia alerts are issued

By Hannah Morgan Editorial Intern

With the cold weather approaching, local shelters and organizations are again gearing up to provide for those who have nowhere to go. But with resources stretched thin, advocates say they are particularly concerned about meeting the needs of homeless families this winter. Each year, the city’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) prepares a winter plan that lays out how local human service agencies and organizations will meet their obligations under district law to protect homeless people from lifethreatening conditions during periods of freezing weather from Nov. 1 until March 31. A hypothermia hotline is set up and during freezing weather, outreach workers distribute blankets and vans are deployed to get people to safety. Hundreds of additional cold weather beds are set up in churches, shelters and other facilities around the city. But advocates are worried if the resources will prove adequate to protect the city’s homeless population. An annual count conducted earlier this year by the Mertropolitan Washington Council of Governments identified 6,546 homeless men, women and children living in the city. The number was roughly the same as in 2010, but it also reflected the changing face of the city’s homeless population. The number of homeless single people that were counted, 3,858, actually reflected a nearly 4 percent reduction from the previous year. But at the same time, the number of homeless

families had risen to 858, a more than 7 percent increase over 2010. In the wake of the nation’s housing crisis and recession, demand for family emergency shelter regularly outpaces supply, advocates say. The city has estimated the number of families in need of shelter this winter will be 366, according to the winter plan, but only 309 available emergency spaces have been located so far. “We are concerned. We want to make sure there are enough services and resources for families,” said Jean Michel Giraud, the executive director of Friendship Place, which operates a day center for homeless people on Wisconsin Avenue in Northwest Washington. The organization also provides street outreach, free medical and psychiatric care and works to get homeless people out of the elements and into shelters and housing programs. Chapman Todd, the division director for housing and support services for Catholic Community Services, agreed that shelter for families is also his main concern. At numerous meetings held to develop this year’s winter plan, Todd said many discussions focused on anticipating the number of families that would be entering and exiting shelters this winter in the interest of keeping every available bed in use. “The biggest thing for all of us is making sure space that has been identified [as shelter and outreach space] is available to those who need them,” Todd said.

Planners were guided by data compiled from past years that identified patterns in shelter usage. The issue of families running out of places to stay and receive outreach support was an apparent trend, Todd said. Based on data, planners expect a slight decrease in the need for beds for single men this winter. This year the highest anticipated need is 1,331 beds, and last year the highest recorded need for beds was 1,372. Various shelters and outreach centers around the city have come together to identify exactly 1,331 beds for emergency use. In addition, 402 beds have been identified for women during alerts, a reduction from last year’s 431 beds, due to a smaller projected demand by the city. Still, at Friendship Place, Giraud said he is concerned about the adequacy and placement of shelters for single women, particularly in Northwest D.C. One of the winter women’s shelters Friendship Place has relied upon, the Community of Christ Church hypothermia shelter will be closed this winter due to a lack of funding, Giraud said. Women in need of beds will now need to travel long distances between day and night programs, testing the limits of their bodies and patience every day. Friendship Place will be running a hypothermia shelter, stocked with beds and hot meals for men, Giraud said. “We hope we can meet the demand. We are well-stocked and ready,” for this

winter, he said. Hypothermia alerts due to freezing temperatures or wind chill were declared on 88 of the 151 days of last year’s winter season, according to the Winter Plan. Many local organizations, open during the hours shelters are usually closed, have historically seen an increase in the usage of their resources during the winter season, and many are gearing up to help homeless people in various ways again this winter. For example, the staff at N Street Village and Bethany Women’s Center, located at 1333 N St., NW, is busy gearing up for another winter. The primary care clinic, which is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, will be providing flu shots through Unity Health Care to any woman in need, according to the on site nurse and Wellness Center Manager Sharon Watkins. And N Street’s clothing closet has also been gathering winter clothing, boots, coats and outerwear since late summer. The organization hopes to be able to provide every woman in need with a coat. The closet will begin distributing coats, boots and winter clothing in October, said Kate Akalonu, N Street’s communications and community engagement associate. The center will continue to provide hot meals every day, and is even planning a Thanksgiving meal for residents, “Even on the coldest and snowiest day—Bethany Women’s Center will be open,” she said.

STREET SENSE OCTOBER 12 - 25, 2011

Beds, not Buses Washington State study shows it is cheaper to prevent homelessness for families through affordable housing than provide school transportation to their children. By Sarah Fleischman Editorial Intern

Placing entire families in long-term housing is more cost-effective than current federally mandated out-of-district transportation for homeless students, according to a study released by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. “While transportation must continue as an essential service for homeless students, the better option for the students, and more cost-effective resolution for the community, is preventing homelessness from forcing the family out of the district in the first place,” said the report, released last month. Congress passed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to provide stability for homeless students in 1987. Among other programs, this act requires school districts to transport homeless students to their home school after they have moved out of the district. A Washington State study found that homeless students are four times as likely as their peers to be in fair or poor health, two to three times more likely to visit the emergency room, and two times more likely to have clinical or borderline mental health problems. The instability of homelessness greatly affects all aspects of a homeless student’s life.

The number of homeless students has risen 38 percent between 2006 and 2010. Homeless students are 1.5 times as likely to perform under their grade level in reading and spelling, and 2.5 times more likely to perform under their grade level in math. “Providing long-term, stable, affordable housing also has the effect of stabilizing the lives of formerly homeless students at home, and at school,” stated the report said. The study used Washington State as a case study. It would cost a local housing authority about $12,000 per year for a two bedroom apartment with a Section 8 voucher in Seattle. Transportation for a homeless child out of district ranges from $18,000 to $27,550 per year. In the study, it costs 47-117% less to house an entire family than to transport a single student. The study says that transportation is an essential, but costly temporary solution. Housing is cheaper and better for the entire family. The cheapest transportation options for students are not always available or in the best interest of the student. Public transit is not available in rural areas, and is not in the best interest

FAMILY SUPPORT

Within a single year, 97 percent of homeless children have moved. At least 25 percent have witnessed violence And 22 percent have been separated from their families.

About half of all school-age children experiencing homelessness have problems with anxiety and depression. Their education is often disrupted and challenges in school are common. Statistics provided by The National Center on Family Homelessness, for more see www.FamilyHomelessness.org. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY FLAHERTY

for a young child going to school in an urban area. Thus, school districts are forced to resort to more expensive modes of transportation. Another problem with transporting the students is the lack of communication between school government and state government. “Schools have little control over housing budgets or zoning policy, and other state and local government agencies often don’t know that these issues can end up costing the local taxpayers in their school transportation budgets,” said Eric Tars, director of human rights and children’s rights programs at the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

“Many communities aren’t doing all they can to promote affordable housing, Failing to fund or create affordable housing just passes costs on to already cash-strapped school systems when families become homeless and have to move outside their district to seek shelter or cheaper accommodations. We hope this report will help start to reverse that trend,” said Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the Law Center. According to Tars, transportation is essential in the short term, but state and school governments must cooperate for the benefit and stability of their students.

Homeless in Hungary: a vendor’s story Adapted from Flaszter Hungarian Street Paper

Ildiko trying to sell the Hungarian street paper on the streets of Hungary. PHOTO COURTESY OF TÜNDE VIRÁG (FLASZTER)

Ildikó Pikril is a homeless woman from Budapest, Hungary. She told Street News Service the story of how she and her partner became homeless. “We bought a smaller flat, and renovated it so it was fit for us to live in, but the expense of the renovations meant I had to take out a mortgage of 5 million Forints [about $23,000]. In hindsight this was my biggest mistake. We spent the 5 million Forints quickly, we lived a good life, I had nice clothes and jewels, but when the money ran out, my life got out of track and I began drinking again. We moved to a sublet, my friend found a job, and once again it seemed like our life was back on track, but in reality it wasn’t. My friend resigned from his job, and again we couldn’t pay the rent. We moved to smaller and smaller sublets, but after a while nobody would put up with our late rent payments and as a result we ended up on the street. Another friend of mine said we could leave our belongings in an unused toilet in his business, but we had to sleep on the street. At this time I was working as a traffic warden but eventually due

to cut backs I once again found myself without a job. It was then that a friend, told me about Flaszter, the street-paper in Hungary. He told me that I could make a reasonably good living out of selling the newspaper. Without any big expectations partner and I began selling the newspaper. However we soon realised that this was a real opportunity for us to live a better life. With the help of Flaszter we were able to buy clothes and live in a social hostel. It wasn’t a great place to live but at least we had somewhere to call home. I wake up 6am everyday, and begin selling the newspaper at 7am. Unfortunately everybody is in a hurry in the morning and only a few people stop when I ask them to buy the paper. However, I do have a number of regular customers who always buy the paper from me, they tend to be older as pensioners have more time to talk compared to young business people who are always on the run. If I manage to sell enough papers I will usually buy some lunch, but if it hasn’t been a good day I just go to a soup kitchen. After lunch I continue selling the paper until 6pm. I can only hope that our

life finally gets back on track.” Homelessness in Hungary appeared after 40 years break in 1989 following the decline in industrial labour, and today it is still a huge problem. Unemployment often leads to homelessness, as families break up due to financial pressure and individuals find themselves with nowhere to live. Many of the homeless live in shelters in the main cities of Hungary. Homeless people mostly take seasonal or unofficial jobs in the black market. Unfortunately a common characteristic of these jobs is that they only pay a low wage, and provide an uncertain future. There are no official statistics regarding the number of homeless people in Hungary. The most common figures estimate that the figure is somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 people, with half of these living in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. In rural Hungary most of the homeless try to find a job in the bigger cities, or move to the capital where there are more job opportunities, and social institutions like hostels, daytime shelters, and soup kitchens etc. Unemployment and divorce are still

the main reasons for homelessness in Hungary. After divorce most often the house and the children stay with the former wife, and this accounts for 7580% of the male homeless. For young people living in foster homes their situation is much harder, they have no qualifications, no work experience, and no social skills, so they consider their future to be hopeless. Many see crime as the only way to gain a good standard of living. Hungarian banks offer appealing loans to the most impoverished but the high monthly fees mean that many cannot keep up with the repayments and end up on the street. The government which was elected last year raised the taxes of the poorest people and made cut backs to the social budget. In addition to this, in most rural cities the local governments have banned or imposed high fees to trade on the street which makes it extremely difficult to sell street papers. The local government of Budapest has directly forbidden anybody from sleeping on the street, and as a result homeless people can suffer high penalties for one single night spent sleeping rough.

STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

NEWS

In a Time of Need, Hunger Program that Serves Seniors Almost Lost By Anna Katharine Thomas Editorial Intern An as yet unidentified grantee has saved the program that provides thousands of Washington D.C. citizens with nutritious food on a monthly basis from closing its doors at the end of September. Because of a lack of funding, the advocacy group, D.C. Hunger Solutions believed the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), a program created by the city’s Department of Health, would no longer be equipped to provide participants with groceries to fill nutrition gaps in diets. “It’s a big victory for the nutrition of thousands of seniors in this city who are operating on budgets that aren’t enough to cover the high cost of living in the city and so there is insufficient money left over for their food,” said Alex Ashbrook, director of D.C. Hunger Solutions. Depending on the category of the

participant, the CSFP distributes packages containing cereal, canned meats, vegetables, cheeses, pasta, and other staples. The mission of the program, according to the Department of Health, is to improve the nutrition and health of lowincome pregnant, postpartum, and lactating women, preschool-age children, and residents 60 years old or older. The program provides nutritious food to supplement their diets, along with nutrition education to enable them to use the foods wisely. The department controlled the D.C. program until the end of 2008 when they decided to release a grant application allowing a non-profit to run the day-to-day operations of the program. The Greater Washington Urban League won this application and has been in charge of the program since then. The future of the program hung in the balance when the the League gave no-

tice that it didn’t have sufficient funding to continue running the daily tasks of the program, according to Ashbrook. “This is a program where seniors depend on this for their basic food needs, and it was causing uproar from seniors and advocates that it was going to be taken away from them,” said Ashbrook. However, according to Mahlori Isaacs, a representative for the health department, the program has adequate funding to continue its work for the rest of this year and the upcoming fiscal year. The Greater Washington Urban League will administer the program until the end of the calendar year. The Department of Health is working to transfer the program to the new grantee, according to Isaacs. The CSFP is not the only program working to provide the citizens of D.C. with nutritious food. There are programs such as, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and the Special

Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which are working to provide nutritious food to residents of D.C. However, since pregnant and young mothers along with their children cannot participate in both the WIC and the CSFP, seniors make up 93% of the CSFP recipients, according to Isaacs. In D.C., the CSFP is linked to the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which gives seniors $30 to spend at local farmers markets. This coupon is paid for with federal funding so “it is a way not only to support seniors who want to shop at farmer’s markets, but it’s also a way to support our local food economy and provide funding for farmer’s markets,” said Ashbrook. According to Isaacs, it is important to note that the services that the CSFP provides to over 6,600 D.C. citizens will not falter; however, the program will be going through a few changes.

Minority Students may be Disproportionately Disciplined By Sarah Fleischman Editorial Intern Each year, over 3.25 million students are suspended at least once. And the disciplinary burden falls hardest upon minority students, a new report finds. Nationally, 28 percent of African American male middle school students are suspended, as compared to 10 percent of Caucasian male students, according to the report published by the National Education Policy Center. The center, based at the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Education sponsors research, produces policy briefs, and publishes expert third party reviews of think tank reports with the goal of fostering discussion about education policy. In many cases, the punishment is too harsh for the crime and does more to disenfranchise students than to educate them, said Edward Ward, who spoke of his experiences in the Chicago public schools as a panelist discussing the report earlier this month at the National Press Club. “I saw students suspended for cursing, having cell phones, and talking loud in the hallways,” said Ward, who

is now in college. “To walk in the hallways and be afraid to speak your voice because you’re afraid to be put out of the school. It’s insanity.” He said such suspension policies do not capitalize on the “teachable moment” provided by an infraction. “Instead, it perpetuates a sense of guilt and alienation,” said Ward. The issue of the high frequency of suspensions among minorities is a particular concern, said another panelist. “Minority students are treated more harshly when it comes to discipline, and as a result of this harsh treatment they suffer academically. Being kicked out leads to being a dropout,” said Dr. Kevin Welner of the University of Colorado. In addition to academic problems, long-term and chronic suspensions affect students in extremely life-altering ways. “One of the leading indicators of whether students are going to drop out or wind up incarcerated is whether they were suspended when they were in middle school or high school. . . we’re really increasing the risk for delinquency

and incarceration and gang affiliation by kicking these kids out,” said Daniel Losen, the author of the report. Losen says that the notion of kicking out the bad kids so the good kids can learn is a myth. There is no data to back up this belief. The truth is, said Losen, most suspensions are a result of minor infractions that do not involve crime, drugs, alcohol, or law enforcement. Suspending students for truancy and dress code violations does not solve the

This is a civil and human rights issue that requires law reform - Edward Ward, panelist discussing National Education Policy Center report on suspensions cause of the student’s problem. Ward says that restorative justice is key to effectively dealing with misbehavior in schools. For example, Ward said that instead of suspending a student for drawing on

a desk, the school would decide after meeting with the student that the student would stay after school to help their teacher clean up. In the cases of altercations among students, the school can act as a mediator to find out why there is hostility between the students. Ward said that that his sister, who was involved in a confrontation with another female student, could easily become embroiled in another fight with the same girl because there is lasting hostility that remains unaddressed and misunderstood by both students. This is more than just an educational problem, Ward said. “This is a civil and human rights issue that requires law reform,” he said. Ward is dedicating himself to making these changes even after his high school graduation. Now a freshman studying political science at DePaul University, he has remained involved with his former high school, frequently speaking with students, teachers, and administrators from his alma mater. “I can’t leave these students in the hands of these oppressive people,” Ward said.

STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

OCCUPYING DC

Upon hearing the news, activists vote unanimously to accept the city’s offer to extend the permits to occupy the parks for an additional four months, vowing to stay even longer if changes are not made. PHOTO BY BRETT MOHAR

Americans from across the country come together to “Occupy DC,” on Monday, vowing not to leave until their voices are heard and changes are made. Permits to stay in the parks expired Monday morning, however, the city extended the permits for an additional four months. PHOTO BY BRETT MOHAR

A girl hands out flowers and fliers raising awareness of how “The Vegan Table” was robbed last night and needs help feeding the occupiers.

Afternoon sing-along time at Freedom Plaza, where commonly known songs are tweaked to appeal to the revolution.

PHOTO BY SARAH HOGUE

(far right) Hundreds of varying sentiments were displayed on posters, both hand-crafted and printed, all over the plaza. (right) Graphic art is used to portray the “evil capitalists” and how they oppress “Mother Earth” in a scene from a street performance. PHOTOS BY SARAH HOGUE

In a matter of days, Occupy D.C. created its own civilization. The campers’ sleeping bags were partitioned off in one part of Freedom Plaza. In other places, there were tables for food and first aid and legal services, and a spot with paint to make posters. “Wall Street for Sale.” “Democracy, Community, Dignity.” “End Afghan War.” “War is a Social Disease.” Everyone just wanted their voices to be heard. While an army of protesters occupied Wall Street, hundreds more chose to come to Washington, bringing with them heartfelt causes, grievances against the way things are, or pleas for change. The protestors began converging on Oct. 6, the 10th anniversary of the U.S. decision to enter Afghanistan. Many stayed through the weekend. A few said they did not plan on leaving until they got what they came for. “I bought a one-way ticket,” said Don

Anderson, a veteran of the Vietnam War, “I’m here for the duration.” Anderson said he believes that veterans of wars aren’t given enough support when they come home and that through negligence, many more could end up like him, paralyzed from the waist down. Others like Debra Sweet, director of The World Can’t Wait, an anti-war group, spoke of much broader frustrations with the U.S. government and fears for the entire planet. “We have to raise our voices and be in the streets because this is intolerable,” she said. “It’s not only the situation on the streets of the United States, where people are homeless, unemployed, desperate, dying for lack of health care, dying for lack of hope,” said Sweet, “We’re losing our humanity by being in an empire that’s doing this to the rest of the world.” On the third day of the occupation of Freedom Plaza, former presidential candidate Ralph Nader made an appearance

to show solidarity with the protesters. “The word ‘occupy’ is very important. [The corporations] have taken the country from us, and we’re going to reoccupy it, and run it!” said Nader in his 20-minute speech. Each day of the occupation was filled with classes, talks, marches, singing, performing and conferences, all in hope of finding more supporters. Timothy Strayer from Los Angeles, came to Occupy D.C. and shared what he knew with other protesters about how non-violently resist when authorities became involved. Audrey Bomse, an attorney with the National Lawyers Guild, advised protesters about how to abide by the law, and provided legal help if they got arrested. Jimmy Dunson, from Food Not Bombs, offered meals to the occupiers. “Part of what we do at Food Not Bombs is feed people...and also challenge the system that creates poverty,

that creates hungry people,” Dunson said, “We want to supply people’s immediate needs as we challenge the system of oppression.” Many of those at Occupy D.C. said they came to Washington to demand immediate change. Donna Vogelpohl, a 60-year-old blackberry farmer from Oklahoma, said she wants change for the future. “I’m here because I have grandchildren,” Vogelpohl said. “And I want my grandchildren’s grandchildren to have clean air, eat healthy food, have clean water, and I want them to be able to marry whoever they want to and I want them to only read about war in textbooks.” While Vogelpohl’s stay at Occupy D.C. ended on Monday, Oct. 10, she said she would continue her work for change back home in Oklahoma. “Somehow they’re doing it in New York,” she said, “and I think we can do it here.”

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STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

EDITORIALS

Holding on to Bush By Robert Warren Vendor It has been ten years of war, lives lost, blood and the treasures of our people gone to political interests on the left and the right. Now the right wants to hold on to the Bush tax cuts and demand that everyone else on Earth give up what little they have. The so-called “job creators” do not create, yet still maintain their way of life. Those who support tax breaks have so much. But their only goal in life is to have more. They do not have to worry about food, housing or health care. They pay their friends to say those who have these worries receive too much aid and need to do with less or

By Jeffery McNeil Vendor Before coming to Washington back in 2007 I saw life very differently than I do now. In fact, my philosophy has been evolving ever since I was a black child, growing up in Toms River, New Jersey. It was a predominately white suburb, and heavily Republican. However not everyone was rich. In fact, most people in my section of town were low income. Life for me was not easy, growing up in Toms River. My parents bought a house in town in 1972 when I was around six. We were the first black family to move there. I hated it. I was mocked, called nigger repeatedly, and people would throw stuffed toy monkeys on the lawn. When I started kindergarten, kids would talk bad about the blacks who lived in South Toms River. They also called Spanish people “spics” and made fun of Jewish people by dropping pennies to see if they picked them up. I realize today that those kids learned these behaviors from their parents. I believe bigotry is not inherited, but taught. It only got tougher as I got older. I remember as a second grader, we would spend some of our rainy school days in the auditorium watching reel-to-reel movies. Many were from the thirties and forties. I remember vividly watching Amos and Andy, Little Rascals, Sambo,

without. This is all so the rich do not have to pay a few more dollars. It is hard to tell just who are the good, the bad and the ugly. Right now, no one in politics looks good. All politicians seem bad, and things are downright ugly. We have people on the left who said they would end Bush’s wars, but they are still going on. They said they would let Bush’s tax cuts expire with him, but big corporations and the rich still get breaks. And all the while local governments from the East to the West are sending people to the unemployment line. “Job creators”do not want their tax dollars going to programs that help middle class and poor people have decent

food, roofs over their heads and the means to see a doctor if they get sick. I am 50-years-old and budget cuts have kept me from working a full-time job in three years. But, now that I am on the verge of homelessness, again. I still have to thank God for his blessing. Not long ago, I logged onto my Yahoo! account and at the time, the debt ceiling and the budget fight were the lead stories. But I wasn’t looking for those. I wanted to read about the millions of people dying in Africa. Naturally, there was nothing. There was nothing on the nightly news, either. However, even if the news ignored them, I knew within my heart that I had to do whatever I could to help those people; however great, however small.

Now I will watch and stay informed about local and national politics; and I’ll do something I haven’t been doing. I will pray for those who are suffering. I won’t fret or stress about my job and my housing situations. I will keep thanking God for the struggle of life, to be able to help someone less fortunate than I am. I wonder what the great “job creators” would say to the man we honored recently on the Mall if he were still with us. Maybe the people in the streets behind him would say it all and Martin Luther King, Jr. wouldn’t have to say a word. I know another march is coming. A march for what is right. For what Dr. King lived and died for. Who will march with the spirit of Dr. King?

and movies with actors wearing blackface make-up. The kids would laugh and I would go home and wail. I still feel the hurt and pain from those days. My parents sat me down and told me about racism. They talked about the Ku Klux Klan and Martin Luther King Jr.. They also told me about the Holocaust and Adolf Hitler. They gave me a book to read about American history: extermination of Native-Americans, slavery, and civil rights. I detested people I considered privileged. When I played contact sports I looked to cheap-shot anyone who I viewed as pampered. I guess at that point I was a liberal, but something changed when I was sitting in a history class and I heard the words Democrat and Republican. I liked how the word Republican sounded. “Democrat” sounded too blasé, “Republican” sounded cool; I wanted to be a Republican. It wasn’t a good time to be a Republican though; Watergate was at high tide, and shortly after, Nixon resigned. When I got my first job at sixteen, my boss was an older white fellow who grew up in the Great Depression. He was an Archie Bunker type. I wouldn’t call him a bigot, just a product of a different generation who did not realize how world he once lived in was changing. The civil rights protests began to wind down. Yet my parents still had activism in their systems. They were registered Democrats, I still liked the word Republican, but even then, I was

still too young to know what the parties stood for. I didn’t understand politics at the time. My boss always talked about blacks and welfare. He hated Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton - called them trouble makers. I also knew blacks who agreed with the white boss. I started to take their viewpoint because I saw many able-bodied people cheating the system. Some would sell their food stamps to me so they could get drugs. Others would fake injuries to get disability and at the same time pretend to be poor to get Section 8 housing. I dated a woman who had three kids and received welfare, who used me. Instead of blaming her for being a huckaboo, I blamed welfare and considered it a system that enabled hand-outs. I resented black politicians who defended welfare as well as the people who believed that the world owed them something because they were poor. I became a self-hating Negro at that time. I blamed my whole race for the misdeeds of a few. I had a job, kept money in my pocket and became real angry when someone asked me to borrow money. I loved money, dreamed of being rich, and I liked paying for the things I wanted. While I desired material wealth I wanted to acquire wealth honestly. I didn’t want to lie, cheat or sell drugs to become wealthy. I distanced myself from hustlers,

drug dealers and people who were motivated solely by wealth. My thinking about wealth started to evolve in my twenties as I pursued moving up the social ladder. Because of my insecurities about having grown up in a workingclass family I felt awkward around people I viewed as more sophisticated and successful than I. I felt inadequate because I thought I wasn’t attractive, didn’t have a fancy car or a famous bloodline. Yet I had the ambition and desire to join people I considered part of the local inner circle. These were the businessmen and their young adult children, Republicans who talked bad about the poor, made ethnic jokes and were snobs. The members of this inner circle were furious about affirmative action to a point where it became comical. The younger ones cried that they couldn’t get into good schools or were denied opportunities because they were white. Their parents ranted about their taxes going to take care of black babies and that black men didn’t take care of their children. In this circle there was always a master statistician who could spout numbers that somehow validated negativity towards blacks. They quoted percentages of blacks who committed crimes, who didn’t take care of their children and how the taxpayers were being stuck with the bill. TO BE CONTINUED

FICTION

By Ivory Wilson Vendor Summary of Part 1. My daddy, a champion rider in black rodeos, told me the story of Spookie back in 1954, when I was watching him break in a horse in Beaumont, TX. He told me about a time before I was born when he was working on McFannin’s ranch, near the Gulf of Mexico. Daddy told me that in those days white and colored cowboys did not mix. He couldn’t even be in their rodeos on the ranch. One day a storm came up fast and McFannin’s cattle, fifteen hundred head, were in a pasture that was separated from the Gulf by a narrow highway. Water rushed across the pavement and the area where the cows were grazing was soon flooded. My daddy was in the barn, feeding Spookie, when Butch, the ramrod of the outfit, came in and told him that most of the cows had made it to a strip of high ground and gotten stranded there as the rain kept coming down. The cows were afraid to move because of all the water and the white cowboys on their horses couldn’t bring them in, because the horses were afraid of the water, too.

“

Boy, in order to be a good horseman, you must have horse sense,” Daddy said. “What’s horse sense?” I asked him. Daddy smiled. “Son, a lot of cowboys, you see them ride their horses, but they

don’t have horse sense,” he said. “You have to watch a horse’s ear movements. When you’re riding him, feel him with your legs. When he’s walking, let him walk. He will feel his way with his hooves if you don’t rush him. Daddy said, “That’s what happened to those cowboys who were thrown from their horses. They rushed the horses out there. If they had let them walk the way they needed to, by feeling the ground with their hooves, they would have found a way to move. Not having horse sense, they didn’t know that. “I broke Spookie out there where the cows were stranded,” Daddy said. “I could see cowboys driving back with their horses, driving to the barn, getting out their trucks and unloading the horses. They brought them into the barn, saying “Butch, the cows have started dropping off the edge, there’s nothing to stop it. All we could do was stand there and watch them go under.” Daddy asked Butch if he could bring the herd in. Butch looked at him, while the other cowboys were laughing at him. Butch grinned: “Ivory, what makes you think you can bring the herd in when we couldn’t?” he asked. “They don’t have horse sense,” Daddy replied. The cowboys were still teasing, saying, “That nigger, he’s gone crazy.” Butch shouted loudly, “Shut the hell up.” They did.

“OK,” Butch said. “Ivory, take my horse and load him into the trailer. He’s the best horse out here.” “No,” Daddy said. “The only horse I’m riding out there is Spookie.” “That Spookie mare is going to leave you out there underwater, Ivory,” Butch said. Daddy shook his head and Butch said “OK, Ivory, load her up.” Daddy saddled up Spookie and put her in the trailer. He and Butch got in the truck and drove back to the open range pasture. “Butch, drive up and park on the side of the highway near the fence,” Daddy said. There, a metal gate could be opened to let them into the pasture. Cowboys from the ranch followed in another truck. Daddy took Spookie out of the trailer and got on her. He told Butch that when he saw Daddy coming back, he should open the iron gate that led back across the highway to a larger pasture. “The ground is hard there,” Daddy said. He left on Spookie. “Boy,” Daddy said to me, “I trusted Spookie with my life. I gave her the reins, gave her her head, and let her walk.” He could see drowned cows and horses and many calves in the water. The cows he was looking for were in the middle of the pasture about 100 yards from the highway. Spookie started walking. She would stop, feel with her hooves and start walking again. Daddy sang a song he called Get Ahead, Spookie!

Thirty yards from the cattle, Spookie stopped searching with her front hooves for that hard strip of ground. She had found it and she stayed on it. Spookie walked toward the stranded herd. The cows started mooing, bellowing scared. Some fell over the edge and tried to swim but went under. Spookie walked all the way to them. She stopped about five feet from them. “I slowly turned Spookie around so she could know to walk back in her tracks, walk back the same way she came,” Daddy said. “I gave her her head and she started walking back to the highway. I looked back over my shoulder, singing my song, Get Ahead, Spookie!” One cow started to follow, then another. One cow behind another, they all came, one by one, following each other. The cows followed Spookie through the gate and across the highway to the larger pasture. Daddy told Butch to close the gate behind them. The cowboys cheered and tossed their hats into the air, saying, “Cowboy.” Butch smiled. Shaking Daddy’s hand, Butch asked, “What do you want for that? You name it.” Daddy smiled and asked for Spookie. Butch grinned. “Is that all?” he asked. “She’s yours, Ivory, plus ten young calves.” THE END

STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

VENDOR WRITING

Troy Davis, A Courthouse Dirge By Chris Shaw Vendor

When they denied or rejected Troy’s pleas I was out in the country, watching swirled leaves. The beginning of fall, y’all. Eastern Shore. It ain’t quite Gwinnett, Yet, think of the burning of Cambridge. Look at a country courthouse, would you, Just for a moment. Take in the careful composition of the average County seat. Everything so neat Is it not? Eagle dipped, gilded, perched safely Over flapping tricolor flag. The ashlar trim ‘Round bulky brick, Oft resting solid on a peripheral base wall Of local quarried slag. But I have questions. For instance, why should the butcher baker candle maker and Housewife and beautician and Undertaker (Is this a sort of Order-Taker?) Excuse me.( As I was about to ask, before I interrupted myself,) What perverse Moral Muse, Not PROVED, Indicts a young man for this deadly deed. What twisted logic , In the name of “Good Orderly Direction,” Which Humans liken to “God,” Decrees that a young man With Lots of Family (Much as the Victim had friends and relations) Must die, in such a station of woe. Fresh query: This young Davis may very likely have Been present at the time of the crime, Yet no gun was connected. “Close the case, and be quick about it,” Grunts the prosecuting suit. “Aye aye,” caw the crows from the corn Field. That same patch Of land from which the courthouse Clock tower looms so grand. BONG BONG BONG Stroke the bell’s hours. The dock is empty. The gurney slowly Gets wheeled away. The syringe drip is drained. Our eyes wrung of tears, our questing voices Still remain strained. In our darkest of nights These dead do not possess Constitutional rights.

Becoming Homeless By Vennie Hill Vendor Becoming homeless was not my choice. As a matter of fact, it was totally unexpected. I was working in a fast food restaurant making seven dollars and some change for about two years. There was a manager, I cannot use his name, who used to sexually harass me. Being married to my husband for about six months at the time, I finally got the nerve to tell him. We went to our supervisor and all she did was change our shifts. So the manager worked on the night shift with my husband. Because nothing was really done about the harassment, my husband became angry and screamed at the manager. Before you know, my husband was terminated. So about one or two weeks went by and the manager was back on my shift again. I was diagnosed with major depression. I ended up leaving the job and today I am trying to put myself back together. I became homeless in 2010 after I left my job. I panhandled to survive. Then my husband and I met a vendor for the Street Sense publication in January of this year. It hasn’t been the best year but I can say Street Sense has really helped turn my life around.

The Science of Thoughts By Robert Warren Vendor

Imagining things we can only dream. Who really knows the science of thoughts or understands the technology seen on a screen? Is it real on the screen, or make-believe? The thoughts of the mind, through the Lord we may achieve or deceive ourselves, not to believe, that the Lord knows everything. I know of days I have seen, all things are possible with the Lord I believe. The science of thoughts, technology seen on a screen. The knowledge of a star, the sun. You see the rain drops. When will they fall? Only the Lord knows, I believe. The science of thoughts, technology seen on a screen, how things exist and the way they came to be.

Words in the air, thoughts made free, picked up through the airways. How could that be? Five thousand years ago, who would believe That the Lord knows everything we think and believe? The science of thoughts, technology seen on a screen. One day ago, who would have believed the thoughts of man, that man has achieved. No need to look into the mind; the Lord knows everything. How far have we come, when it comes to the word of the Lord? Not far, I believe. Just a little glance the Lord gave us to see. To remember his words, your thoughts, follow up on all your good dreams. All praise to the Lord who knows everything of our thoughts of science, of technology seen on a screen.

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SHAW ON SPORTS By Chris Shaw, The Cowboy Poet Vendor One hundred years ago on October 15th, 1911, the ribbon was cut and a boisterous crowd passed through the horse-head-bedecked gates on Route One. Thus was born Laurel Park, a state-of-the-art racetrack, a gift to the growing pool of Baltimore and Washington horse players who now could enjoy their own version of a Saratoga-style “spa.” Laurel Park followed the august Pimlico which had enticed customers since 1870. By 1915 the full flush of Maryland race venues included Bowie, Havre de Grace and Marlboro. And Maryland’s horse racing tradition flourished for decades after. But in recent years, the tracks fell upon upon hard times. This past spring, nearly a century after Laurel Park first opened, Maryland racing seemed to be on the verge of shutting down.Then Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, with possible backstage assistance from sports mogul Peter Angelos, brokered a deal with the state lawmakers to get a minimum two-year extension of full live horse racing at Laurel Park and Pimlico. One race fan “Jimmy,” a WWII vet who has been faithfully visiting Laurel since1960, underplays his enthusiasm about saving the track. “Aw-It’s just something to do, you know, a place to go and watch ‘em run.” Yet Jimmy’s twinkling smile indicates that winning more than an occasional exacta at Laurel hasn’t exactly been a waste of his time— or money. Indeed he was there for many of Laurel’s high water mark years. From the 1950s through the 1980s, the park was popular with the social and diplomatic upper crust of the capital region. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, not to mention Ambassador True Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, and numerous jurists and attorneys who often owned as well as wagered upon Thoroughbreds, were constant presences at Laurel. And the D.C. International Race and Turf Festival always attracted top equestrian talent from all over the globe. When more recent management of Laurel and the Maryland Jockey Club shut down Bowie and eliminated the International (and subsequently the widely-heralded ‘Sports Palace’ facility)-ostensibly as cost cutting measures, grim prognostications gathered thicker than starlings on backstretch fence posts. The greater perspective on possible closure of more tracks of course, is how painful the attrition and eventual death of the state’s vaunted,nearly 250-year old tradition of horse breeding and training would truly be. Now that state leaders have bought some time for Maryland racing, let’s scour the area for thousands more patrons of all ages and career callings. Irish bands at Saint Paddy’s Day and oompah outfits on Oktoberfest are already on the boards, and if you’ve checked your occupant mail lately—as of this writing it still is sent!—the Maryland Jockey Club’s calendar of live and simulcast racing events is profuse and upbeat. Likely, October 15, 2011, Laurel’s 100th birthday, will witness a full card of exciting examples of the “Sport of Kings,” and attendance will likely parallel that of the Derby or the Preakness. From the top of the tony Turf Club (the steaks and crab-cakes are still superb!!), to the nethermost reaches of the paddock and grungy Grandstand, there should gather a sizable crowd of horse lovers and borderline equine types, as well as the garden variety gamblers, young, medium and old. What if all this panoply of fun were to continue, with table games and slots as the icing on the cake? Stranger things have occurred, as in Penn National gaming’s recent Rosecroft Raceway revival.

Service Spotlight: Miriam’s Kitchen By Case Keltner Editorial Intern In the Bible, Moses’ sister, Miriam, was exiled from the band of Israelites traveling to the Promised Land. She had committed a “sin” and as a result, her people would not let her live among them. Yet Moses refused to let her live in isolation. This story is particularly significant for the staff at Miriam’s Kitchen, a food and case management program for the homeless that also offers therapeutic services such as Art Therapy and yoga sessions. The founders of Miriam’s Kitchen believed that the homeless embody Miriam: viewed as sinners, they are thrust out of society when all they need is compassion and assistance. Miriam’s Kitchen serves breakfast every weekday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and dinner from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. as well as lunch on Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Most of the food is

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

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

locally grown, which keeps the cost of each meal under $1. Case management is available on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and additionally on Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Beyond help with jobs and housing, Miriam’s Kitchen provides emergency necessities such as clothing, toiletries and a phone, as well as medical and legal counsel. Miriam’s Studio adds a rehabilitation component to the organization. The staff builds relationships with clients through these programs, which range from resume assistance to bird studies. Groups meet any weekday from 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. or from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. To contact Miriam’s Kitchen, call (202) 452-8089 or visit www.miriamskitchen.org.

My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596, Washington, DC 20017 (202) 529-5261 (office) (202) 529-5991 (24-hour hotline)

STREET SENSE October 12 - 25, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MEDICAL RESOURCES

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

Christ House 1717 Columbia Road, NW (202) 328–1100, www.christhouse.org Unity Health Care, Inc. 3020 14th Street, NW (202) 745–4300,www.unityhealthcare.org Whitman–Walker Clinic 1407 S Street, NW (202) 797–3500, www.wwc.org

OUTREACH CENTERS N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060, www.nstreetvillage.org Samaritan Inns 2523 14th St., NW (202) 667 - 8831 http://www.samaritaninns.org/home/ New York Ave Shelter (Men 18+) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359

FOOD

Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265–2400 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561–8587, www.breadforthecity.org Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 364–1419, www.cchfp.org Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060, www.nstreetvillage.org

Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW (202) 232–3066 www.stmargaretsdc.org/charliesplac

Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842–1112

Church of the Pilgrims (Sundays only) 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387–6612, www.churchofthepilgrims.org

Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675–9050, www.friendshiphouse.net

Thrive DC Breakfast served Mon.-Fri., 9:30-11 a.m. Dinner for women and children, Mon.-Fri., 3-6 p.m.

Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338–8301 www.georgetownministrycenter.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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

SHELTER HOTLINE: 1–800–535–7252

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VENDOR PROFILE: MR. L MORROW

THE LAST WORD: IN 60 YEARS...

By Nicole Jones Editorial Intern

By Anna Katharine Thomas Editorial Intern

If you happen to pass the corner of Connecticut Avenue and L Street, or stroll past Metro Center, or walk through Dupont Circle, it’s hard to miss the energetic, outspoken, charismatic Street Sense vendor by the name of L. Morrow. “If you don’t have money, give me a smile,” he shouts to people who pass him on the street. If you stop to chat with Morrow, a vendor since 2007, he may give you a story that will make you laugh, or a bit of wisdom that will make you think. For instance, homelessness, according to Morrow, is more than what it looks like from the outside looking in. It’s far more complex. “Homelessness is a state of mind; you don’t have to look or smell bad. If you have self–respect and dignity, others will respect you. I live in a homeless castle; my ceiling is the sky and my bed is the soft sheets of heaven,” Morrow said. Morrow was born on September 25, 1947 in Southwest, Washington, D.C. and graduated from Jefferson High School. He attended college and got into community organizing, running a free lunch and after-school program. Morrow traveled to Chicago where he lived for five years. During his stay, he worked at a daycare center, assisting low-income families with special needs children. Then he moved to Boston, where he served as a tenant coordinator for a

Street Sense vendor Phillip Howard just turned 60, and offered to share a few lessons and stories that he has learned during his six decades of life. Howard was born September 20, 1951 in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University Hospital. He said his favorite birthday so far has been this one because, Howard said, he finally realized what his mother meant when she told him, “one day you are gonna stop…” “Through the years, I realized what she was trying to tell me early in my life. And I have outlived my oldest brother, and I have outlived my baby brother, but I still have my three sisters and my one brother—and I love them all,” said Howard. Howard has lost a lot of loved ones during his lifetime, but through it all he said he has learned how important it is to communicate with others. “If we don’t communicate, how do I know what you need?” said Howard. He emphasized the importance of communication, especially within families. Adults should “be responsible and communicate. Give good advice, not bad advice…enlighten one another.” Howard said a child’s responsibility is to listen to their mother and father. “They know. They know wisdom. They know strength, and they know love,” said Howard. He has been with Street Sense since November of 2003, and if there is anything he has learned during his time as a vendor it is that “you can’t demand anything.”

public housing organzation and gathering signatures to help a build a clinic in a poor neighborhood. Since he has been back in Washington, Morrow has kept up his community involvement, helping children from his Southeast D.C. neighborhood get ready for a recent school year by collecting donated school supplies. Morrow says he is grateful for his life and thanks God everyday for his blessings. He is also grateful to his customers and has a personal message for them: “I want to thank you for buying the Street Sense paper and listening to me. Keep up the kindness, because the world needs more of it.” When he comes to the office to buy his papers, he always has a smile. He strongly believes in the paper’s mission, he says. “I want to spread the word that we’ve all got to help one another: spiritually, mentally and financially, if possible.”

October 11 - 25, 2011 • Volume 8 • Issue 24 Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC

Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW

Washington, DC 20005

Permit #568

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vendors and do not give to those panhandling with one paper. Interested in a subscription? Go to page 3 for more information.

“Be humble. Be kind. Be courteous, and understand. Don’t get frustrated… you are doing a community service. The people are doing a community service by buying the paper,” said Howard. But in being humble, kind, courteous and understanding we must all remember that we are human beings. We must treat one another as human beings, and demand that others treat us the right way, according to Howard. “I’m not the richest guy in the world, or in the United States, but I am happy,” said Howard. “I am not perfect as an individual, but I humble myself to everyone because I have learned from a wise person. I remember him saying many many years ago, ‘common courtesy can carry you along.’” Through all his days of struggle and difficulties, Howard said for his birthday he celebrated by thanking God. “I didn’t do any parties or balloons I just prayed that thank the Lord for allowing me to see another birthday through my times of struggle,” said Howard. Because “You don’t know what’s gonnna happen to you.” A few things Howard said he wanted everyone to remember: “Stay out of trouble.” “Keep the good spirits.” “There’s a lot to be thankful for—I woke up this morning!” “To get respect you have to give it.” “Everyday you grown, if you want to grow.” “Stop being part of the problem, and be part of the solution.”

JANE CAVE’S STREET SHOTS:

A participant celebrates culture at the Caribbean Carnival Parade on Georgia Ave.