8 1 2012 by Street Sense Media

Volume 9: Issue 19 August 1 - 14, 2012

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Fathers Needed page 5

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Barry Farms residents question future

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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, and dozens of volunteers. Nearly 30,000 copies are in circulation each month.

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President Obama with his daughter Sasha

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STREET SENSE August 1 - 14, 2012

#31

NEWS IN BRIEF VA Announces Grants to Help End Veteran Homelessness The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, announced that four community agencies that serve the Washington DC metropolitan area will together receive over $2.5 million in grants geared toward the prevention of veteran homelessness. These grants will give aid to approximately 1,400 homeless and at-risk veteran families in the Washington DC metropolitan area through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. The Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place in Washington, DC, the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness in Washington, DC, Three Oaks Homeless Shelter in Lexington Park, Maryland and Volunteers of America Chesapeake in Lanham, Maryland will be supported through this initiative. Through the national SSVF program, VA is able to award grants to organizations that help transition low-income Veterans and their families into permanent housing and more stable conditions. The grants will allow these organizations to offer assistance to fam-

ilies through outreach, VA benefits assistance and case management services. On a national level, VA has estimated that the total SSVF program grants will be able to serve approximately 42,000 Veteran families that are at-risk or experiencing homelessness. The grants are intended to play a major role in the federal government’s plan to end Veteran homelessness by 2015. “We are committed to ending Veteran homelessness in America,” said Shinseki. “These grants will help VA and community organizations reach out and prevent at-risk Veterans from losing their homes.”

is expected to raise more than $225,000 this year. Prince William participated in the campaign in 2009, where he slept on the street among London’s homeless. He admitted that it was a “rough” experience. “I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets,” Prince William had told ABC News. “I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London’s streets night after night,” he added.

- Faithful Okoye

- Lauren Colegrove

British Duchess Kate to be Homeless for a Night Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has vowed to sleep on the streets of London for a night to experience what hundreds of young people face everyday. Following after her husband’s footsteps, Kate, 30, will be participating in “Sleep Out,” an annual campaign designed to raise awareness of London’s growing homeless rates. The campaign

Federal judge Blocks Effort to Ban Philadephia Homeless Feeding Programs A federal judge has blocked Philadelphia’s effort to ban the feeding of homeless people outdoors. Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia defended the ban as “part of a broader plan to care for the poor”. He framed the anti-feeding law was part of an attempt to move the homeless into indoor facilities where they could receive

physical and mental care in addition to food. But critics, including four Philadelphia charities that filed a lawsuit, asserted the ban was just a tactic to clear the homeless from land near some of the city’s tourist attractions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum. As an interim step to moving some of the six thousand homeless who regularly spend summer nights on the street, the city arranged for food to be distributed on the outdoor plaza surrounding City Hall. But in his ruling last month, U.S. District Judge William Yohn said he saw no evidence the city plan to feed the homeless outside City Hall was any better than the way it was being done by the charity groups. Paul Messing, an attorney for religious groups that challenged the ban, said the ruling showed the city had not come up with a good reason to stop the feedings. Nutter told the The Philadelphia Inquirer he was disappointed in the ruling.

-- Harry Frey

2012 National Conference on Ending Homelessness By Faithful Okoye Editorial Intern At the news that Bergen County, N.J.is currently housing over 16 percent of its chronic homeless population each month, the audience erupted in applause. “Homelessness is about life and death, so let’s act like it’s about life and death,” said Becky Kanis, the campaign director of 100,000 Homes Campaign, who commended the efforts of Bergen County and other communities. Her organization has set the goal of housing at least 2.5 percent of chronically homeless people each month. Kanis and other advocates from across the country gathered in Washington from July 16 to July 18 for the 2012 National Conference On Ending Homelessness. The annual meeting brings together nonprofits and government officials, including leaders from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), to exchange stories

and data and to take stock of efforts to address the challenges of helping homeless people in cities, rural places and suburbs nationwide. Workshops ranged from the federal budget to ending homelessness, to health care reform and strategies to access Medicaid, to safe and effective housing strategies for victims of domestic violence. A workshop on the 2012 election and ways the community can engage the candidates on the problem of homelessness was presented. Despite the progress by the various communities, the problem of homelessness is evident in point-in-time count. On a single night on January, more than 630,000 people were homeless in the United States. About 100,000 of them were estimated to be chronically homeless, often cycling through shelters, hospitals, jails and prisons without managing to overcome the problems underlying their homelessness. In an attempt to change these grim statistics, nonprofits and state and lo-

Workshop Highlight: From Jail to Housing The road to housing from jail is far from easy for many. More than 10 percent of people released from prison fall into homelessness, according to a report by The Fortune Society. And recent studies show a significant relationship between homelessness and re-offending. Among factors contributing to homelessness, many formerly incarcerated may not be able to return to their families because their families might be unwilling to accommodate them. In addition to facing high prices to get housing, ex-offenders might face reluctant landlords who using their personal discretion to discriminate against persons with criminal history. HUD’s One Strike and You’re Out also makes it difficult for ex-offenders to access public housing. The task is left to nonprofit organizations like The Fortune Society, West Harlem, N.Y., and Oakland Park Housing Initiative to help ex-offenders escape the risk of homelessness. According to Sage Foster from OPRI, persons re-entering among those housed by OPRI dropped by 48 percent within one year of housing.

cal governments rely upon funding from a host of federal agencies, including HUD, the VA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Under the administration of President Barack Obama, the federal government has worked to streamline rules and coordinate the goals of welfare, housing and veterans programs so they can better serve local and state efforts to end homelessness, said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The same set of factors that make a family vulnerable to homelessness like substance abuse, domestic abuse and trauma can also bring those same families into the child welfare system,” Sebelius said. “And yet, ‘til now, the services that we have used to address child homelessness and those in the child welfare system are often totally separate.” The first-ever federal funding for supportive housing specifically to reduce homeless families’ involvement in the child welfare system was estab-

lished this year. A five-year process, it allows for child welfare dollars to be paired with housing services. While providing a stable home for the child and family, the funding would also lower a significant cost placed on the child welfare system. The federal plan to end homelessness, known as Opening Doors, includes four strategic steps: 1) End chronic homelessness by 2015, 2) Prevent and end veteran homelessness by 2015, 3) Prevent and end homelessness among youth, children and families by 2020, and 4) Set a path to ending all kinds of homelessness. Earlier on the day of Sebelius’ speech, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced the award of about $100 million in new grants for community agencies to help at-risk veterans and their families. “We have the opportunity to end homelessness in our nation,” Sebelius said. “We know we can do this.”

Workshop Highlight: Understanding Commercial Exploitation of Children Despite the progress, organizations like OPRI face what has been tagged as the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) Syndrome from landlords and those in the neighborhood. According to a report by The Fortune Society, these NIMBY reactions are greater when the community lacks participation and accurate information about the clients and the problems they face. However, by engaging the community early on, these two organizations were able to earn the trust of their community. During the conference, the organizations presented ways other non-profits can win over NIMBY campaigners through efforts such as showing that ex-offenders can be a good neighbors and having community advisory board meetings to address issues and fears the community might have. Glenn Martin from TFS ended his presentation with a picture of the mayor and former opponents with shovels in hand in celebration of a new initiative by the nonprofit.

They are called survivors, not victims. The common factor in the children’s stories is their courage. Nicole, a young girl whose last name wasn’t revealed, experienced physical and sexual abuse as a child. She ran away from home, hoping to find freedom on the streets. That was when she met Goldie, who showered her with gifts. He made her feel loved and accepted. Then he put her to work. At 13, Nicole was introduced to the sex trade by her pimp. Leslie Briner, a social worker at YouthCare, in Seattle, Wash., has seen made stories like Nicole’s. During the conference, Briner spoke on the sexual exploitation of children. Tina Frundt, a survivor and founder of Courtney House in DC, also spoke. Demand fuels the sex industry. Male customers, poor, rich, young and old continually visit, Briner said. Many do not know that they are having sex with

a 13- or 14-year-old girl. While prostitution has been called the world’s oldest profession, implying it is natural and impossible to be eradicate, Briner has another view. “What I argue is that prostitution is the world’s oldest oppression,” she said. John’s schools provide rehabilitation for sex customers to help them understand the lifelong impact that sex work has on young girls. In nine states, but not the District, safe harbor acts protect child sex workers from incarceration. And there are programs such as YouthCare, that work to raise awareness of grim statistics such as this: Women engaged in prostitution are 40 times more likely to be murdered. Briner ended her presentation with a quote of Antonio Porchia: “You do not see the river of mourning because it lacks one tear of your own.”

STREET SENSE August 1 - 14, 2012

NEWS

Men Gather to Embrace Fatherhood mothers, one for the fathers and one for the children. Iris Mclaurin-Southall, the DCHA coordinator for the event, said that all three of these parts of the families have to work together in order to solve the issues at hand. The young men who offered their stories in one of the workshops came from Covenant House, a multi-functional home for at-risk youths. They discussed the problems they faced in growing up without strong male influences in a group led by motivational speaker Janks Morton. Some of the young men had fathers in their lives, but only a few had their fathers for their entire lives. Some of them said that not having a consistent male presence helped them grow up to be more independent and taught them how to teach themselves. However, the general feeling was that life was more difficult without a male role model. A group of men symbolically apologised to the younger generation for not being At the beginning of the session, one around as male role models and fathers. of the young men said his father was PHOTOGRAPH BY NATALIE DEVLIN there for him. But after listening to the others talk about their struggles, By Natalie Devlin at helping single mothers sometimes he realized that because of his father’s Editorial Intern also inadvertently create barriers for fleeting presence he faced the same fathers. For instance welfare proproblems, such as lack of guidance on While the older men listened, the grams are based how to be a man young men told their stories. on income, which and trying to learn Several of the young men rememmeans a family from someone’s bered fathers who were, at best, fleetwith both parents mistakes instead ing presences in their lives. When the and two incomes of from his examstories were done, the older men shook would be less ples. the young men’s hands and symbolically likely to qualify While known as apologized for their generation’s shortfor welfare than a the Fatherhood comings. single parent. and Mentoring The generations of men were Motherhood can Initiative, the efbrought together for a recent workshop, also be a potenfort is also aimed sponsored by the D.C. Housing Authority tial barrier to faat mothers, who (DCHA). The event was part of a much therhood. If the play an important larger effort, a federal Fatherhood and mother and father role in increasing Mentoring Initiative, started by Presido not have a good fathers accountdent Barack Obama whose own father relationship, the ability. According was largely absent from his life. Obama father may be to Michaelson the sees being a father to his two daughters pushed away from initiative’s intenas his most important job. his children. tions are geared Housing authorities across the counLamont Carey, a toward making try have been invited to join the iniworkshop leader, both parents “an Ephrain Scott was nominated for Presitiative, to take a closer look at the said from his exintegral part of dent Obama’s Champion of Change workings of families in public housing perience, “In ortheir children’s award for setting an example as a good and the lack of male role models in lowder for me to be a lives.” father in his neighborhood. income communities. good father, I had David Cauthen PHOTOGRAPH BY NATALIE DEVLIN The fathers themselves are not the to have a good resaw first-hand that only ones to blame for the deterioration lationship with the mother.” being a part of his son’s life was imporof fatherhood, said Dena Michaelson, The District’s fatherhood initiative tant. He has enjoyed a renewed relathe DCHA public affairs director. Govevent, held in late June included three tionship with his 11-year-old son for the ernment and charity programs aimed simultaneous workshops: one for the past four years.

The President and his two daughters THE PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WHITEHOUSE.GOV

“I can see the struggles that he has now because I wasn’t there earlier,” Cauthen said. As he reconnected with his son, Cauthen started working with an organization called 100 Fathers Inc. He said the group has helped him define his role as a father and find helpful information on fatherhood. Cauthen said he did not have a father in his life while he was growing up, so he found it difficult to know how to be an effective dad. “How can you know how to be a good dad if you never had one?” he asked. Cauthen wanted to break the cycle so that his son would know more about fatherhood than he did. Kwaco Atiba is also involved in the 100 Fathers Inc. He was 13 years old when his first son was born, so he was not focused on the responsibilities of being a father at the time. Unlike Cauthen, Atiba was not able to reconnect with his family until later in life. For the past six years, he has been in contact with his youngest son, who is 30 years old now. He has also made efforts to be a positive role model for younger people by volunteering in schools as a hall monitor. He feels that his volunteering is important for the community because it allows the boys to see a positive male authority figure. “By being involved, we can change the course of someone’s life,” Atiba said.

STREET SENSE August 1 -14, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Barry Farm residents say they, too, want development, but

need a voice in helping plan changes to neighborhood

By Evi Mariani Editorial Intern

their old neighborhood following redevelopment. But to qualify they must pass a credit check and everyone in the household must have a record free of serious crime, in a policy colloquially known as “One Strike, You’re Out.” NCI is part of a larger plan to develop Anacostia, which is considered the heart

her neighborhood, Barry Farm Dwellings in Anacostia, needs some help. Her own four-bedroom place could use a new front door, back door, a new bathroom and It would also be great, she said, if neighborhood boys had something better to do than hang around and thrash in her front yard. Michelle Hamilton wants improvements too. She dreams of a familyfriendly Barry Farm, free of drug and alcohol abuse. She wants better schools

for the community and jobs, too. “Make some development for our children and more programs so they can be our leaders and come back and help us old people,” she said. Barry Farm is slated for redevelopment. The District government’s New Communities Initiative (NCI), is coming their way. But the two women fear that they, their families and their neighbors will not be around to enjoy the new and improved community. The NCI project, spearheaded by the and Economic Development (DMPED), will bulldoze 654 low-income units in

Barry Farm and Park Chester and replace them with “mixed-income community of mid-rise apartments and low-rise family housing in [Barry Farm/ Park Chester/Wade Road], which includes 373 replacement units together with new affordable and market-rate units for a total of 1,110 units.” ised that the current residents will be able to return to the neighborhood once the development is finished. In the meantime, they are being given the option of moving to other public housing in the area like Matthews Memorial Terrace and Sheridan Station near Anacostia Metro Station.

The residents continue to worry. Besides the fact that the number of the low-income units replaced (654) and the replacement units (373) would not add up, the tenants suspect the prices will go up. There are other concerns, too. Wills said she needs at least a fourbedroom unit for her daughter Javis, 21; Javis’s daughter, Azara, 4; and her son, Craig, 24. “I heard they would provide only one or two bedrooms,” she said. She doesn’t know where to go if the new place does not have at least three-bedroom unit. “What am I supposed to do?” Wills wonders. She worries about her son who is disabled. If she moves to a two-bedroom unit with only her daughter and granddaughter, where will her son go? Wills has been moved by redevelopment before. While she grew up on U Street in Northwest, Wills, 64, has been living on Stevens Road in Barry Farm Dwellings since September 1999. She moved there, with her mother, now deceased public housing in Washington Highlands. Her old project was redeveloped as Wheeler Creek Apartments. Wills neighbor, Hamilton, 46, has also been uprooted by redevelopment and she suspects this time will not be any different. “The new development is to move us out,” she said. to make room for people who will work at Department of Homeland Security headquarters nearby, an ongoing federal construction project, but not for them. When she moved to Barry Farm 12 years ago, Wills said all her neighbors had also come from public housing projects that were being replaced by new projects like Valley Green and Simple City, now Benning Terrace, in Southeast DC. “Them people couldn’t afford to go back to those places. They did not even call all those people when the development came up. So I don’t believe that you can come back here, especially if you are back on your rent, especially if you have a felony while you was gone,” Hamilton said. District law guarantees tenants of public housing the chance to return to

sometimes I don’t... I live from day to day.” of Ward 8, which claims the city’s highest poverty rate (35 percent) as well as the highest rate of residents without high school diplomas (21 percent). Ward 8 also recorded the lowest average annual income in the city from 2005 to 2009 with $44,076 dollars per year. In comparison, Ward 3 recorded the highest with an average of $257,386 dollars during the same period, according to neighborhoodinfodc.org. The problems in Anacostia have long new development as a way of addressing the entrenched generational poverty that has long plagued the community. The new construction was scheduled to begin in the spring or summer of 2010, according to the website of the and Economic Development. By this year, the city might have been ready to deliver some of the units to residents. But the project is moving slowly. Together with the District of Columbia Housing Authority, the DMPED will be “seeking a master planning and development team to update the existing plan, which means there may be

some changes,” said DMPED spokesman Jose Sousa. “The proposed phasing may be revisas to when work on the site will commence,” he said. Such projects take time. The process for a planning to undergo “solicitation/ review/award” and “negotiation/legislation/disposition” can typically take anywhere from 12 to 24 months, he added. In the meantime, Wills and her neighbors wait for updates and live with uncertainty. “Sometimes I feel involved sometimes I don’t, when I don’t it would be stressful, insecure, painful. I live from day to day,” she said. “Uncomfortable.” Some advocates for the poor say the problem should be tackled with more input from the current residents of Barry Farm. NCI meetings, usually held the last Thursday of the month, are attended sometimes by 15 people, other times

opened a community house known as Uhuru House on Stevens Road, “to bring black people back to political life, that they can decide what their community look like,” O’Neal explained. The house offers Saturday art and cultural classes for the children from Barry Farm, as well as programs for adults on topics such as community gardening with a larger goal of nurturing civic engagement among residents. Ayesha Fleary, chair of the African People’s Socialist Party, said that about ated with the party have volunteered every weekend in the community, “trying to organize community forums, going around to different houses, putting in the community to see what people thought about the redevelopment.” What they have confronted so far is

“If you go to meetings there is a stark difference of what the city wants and the residents want. But there is no organization among the residents,” added O’Neal, who is also an activist from a grassroots pan-African organization called the African International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement. Established in 1991 in Chicago by the African People’s Socialist Party, the organization sees its mission as working to promote self-determination among African people around the world, including in the United States. What members of the organization say they see in Barry Farm Dwellings is powerlessness in the borhood. More than a year ago, InPDUM

Ward 8 Profile 50

Poverty rate 41%

40 30

Unemployment rate

39% 36%

27%

34%

35%

Persons without high-school diploma

27% 22%

21% 17%

13%

10 0

10%

1980

1990

2000

2005-09

Ward 8 has consistently ranked highest of all wards in the district in all three of these categories * *In 2005-09 Ward 7 ranked the highest in unemployment rate with 19% *In 1980 Ward 7 ranked the highest in person without diploma with 42%

Source: www.neighborhoodinfodc.org

photo caption

a feeling of fatalism from many of the residents of Barry Farms, Fleary said. “There are some people who say, ‘I don’t want to move. I’ve been living here for 40 years or 20 years. I like having a backyard. I love having a front yard. I don’t want to move, but I know it’s not an option.’ This is the powerlessness over here.” But Fleary and her fellow activists continue to hope that Barry Farm shape the project, and be assured a place in the new community that will rise in its place, to see that “the community can follow up and get a real contract laid out as to what that looks like, “ said Fleary. “Maybe the criminal record can be taken off; maybe some other factors can be taken off, overall having some control over the right to live.”

STREET SENSE August 1 -14, 2012

LOCAL NEWS

Barry Farm residents say they, too, want development, but

need a voice in helping plan changes to neighborhood

By Evi Mariani Editorial Intern

Ward 8 Profile 50

Poverty rate 41%

40 30

Unemployment rate

39% 36%

27%

34%

35%

Persons without high-school diploma

27% 22%

21% 17%

13%

10 0

10%

1980

1990

2000

2005-09

Source: www.neighborhoodinfodc.org

photo caption

STREET SENSE August 1 - 14, 2012

2012 Street Soccer U.S.A. Cup: By Chris Trevino Editorial Intern

“What event is this?” the New Yorker asked from behind her designer sunglasses as she gazed at the two soccer games in motion, her chocolate and caramel bulldog panting beside her. “The Street Soccer USA Cup,” someone replied. The woman, content with the answer, turned back to the action. “The players are homeless.” Even from behind her shades, you could see her eyes widen, she took a slight step back and turned, managing a single hushed word. “Wow.” It’s amazing the power a label can have. Whether the label carries the prestige of “Olympian” or the burden of “homeless,” it sets the bar for society’s expectations. And nothing captures our attention like stories of those expectations being surpassed. They

make us question what we once thought possible. For four days hundreds of individuals from across the country shed their labels, discarded their limits. They entered into the concrete jungle that is New York City for the 2012 Street Soccer USA Cup. They emerged as shining examples of humanity. On Sept. 14, 1934 the dedication ceremonies for Sara D. Roosevelt Park brought promises of “the birth of the Lower East Side.” For the next 84 years, the park, and the neighborhood around it, would provide a haven for generations of immigrant families. It was Roosevelt Park that became the main venue for this year’s Street Soccer USA Cup, with two street soccer courts accommodating the dozens of games 20 teams played on July 26 and 27.

The game of street soccer resembles futsal, a variation of soccer played on a small pitch with a hard, smooth surface. There are four players to each keeper. What makes the game unique is two distinct rules that both inhibit and invite scoring. The mouth of the goal is a half circle roughly six-yards long, splashed a bright red or blue. No crease, much like in lacrosse. Secondly, a defending team can only have two defenders back. In other words, it was always a three-on-two advantage for the attacking team, with goals being scored at the pace of New York minutes. There were a lot of The hours leading up to the tournament’s July 26 opening were marked by unpredictability that is a hallmark of New York. Glitches with housing for a few of the teams left organizers late on the night of July 25. Court set up was behind schedule, materials sent to wrong addresses, and rain clouds loomed ominously over volunteers serving breakfast to players trying on jerseys and cleats. The chaos only added to the excitement for player Grayson Little “Honestly coming from East L.A., this is pretty cool,” said Little, as he shook his complementary thimble-sized orange juice. Little, 21, who in spite of his name, stands six-foot-two, hails originally from Landstuhl, Germany, and has been living in

a transitional housing program since February. “Just being here, it does a lot,” he added before downing another juice. The Cup kicked off with host city New York vs. Dallas and Charlotte pitted against St. Louis. The games were quickly put on hold by the pummeling rain. A policeman’s warning of a “tornado watch” sent people scrambling under tents. Only one team welcomed it. “We were like ‘Yes it’s raining! We have an advantage” said Calvin Hill, captain of the Seattle team with a huge grin on his face. After 15 minutes the storm passed and games were back underway. But the effects of the downpour were still felt on the courts. The rubber surfaces became slick and puddled. Playskating lessons, they crashed into barriers going for loose balls. They were now playing on a giant Slip-n-Slide. But they managed. Players and volunteers coped with the conditions and the Cup moved smoothly on from there. From the favorites to win it all established themselves: the defending champions of Minneapolis. The intense team from Charlotte. The well-coached men from Montgomery County, Md. The dark horse team that was New York. “Everyday we are playing for something bigger than just winning or losing. We are playing

USA CUP

Celebrating Life Beyond Hardship for a better life and we are playing for our own pride,” Street Soccer USA founder Lawrence Cann told the crowd during a pause in the games. “You show the possibility of the better person I can be and the better person all of you can be, so don’t take that lightly. Everyday, every game think about what you can be and know that you inspire others. That’s what this Cup is about.” Soon he stepped aside from the microphone and a player from the New York Red Bulls took his place. He asked who was going to win the tournament. Everyone cheered. Winning and losing can be seen place and then everyone else. Just more labels of “winner” and “loser” that shape competition. But in the world of street soccer, the stakes are different. Sure the players want to win, sure they play as hard as they can and cheer for teammates. Yet, it’s not the end of the world to lose 9-0 or even 1-0. Why? Well because the athletes have gone through much more than the pain of losing a game. Ronnie Love, 24, came to New York for a job interview. Upon returning to his hotel he found that his belongings were stolen. He was forced to check into a shelter. Johnny Vernon of Dallas, 36, was caught up with drugs that put a stranglehold on his life. Jay Dee made it through 19 years of foster care after she was taken away from her

mother, who abused drugs and alcohol. Peterson Saby, who emigrated from Haiti as a 16-yearold now lives on the street. Gray, the Seattle captain, came looking for a better education and to escape war that plauged West Africa. He was kicked out of his house over a disagreement and lived on the streets off and on for over a year. While all their stories are different they are all the same in respect to what brought them here: a soccer ball. “A lot of these kids have had a tough time,” said Kathy Wall, a supervisor for the San Francisco team and Colombia native. “This is [why this is] is a great program because it gives them a great opportunity to do something special with their lives.” Because of this the wins and losses pale in comparison to what the program offers: an opportunity, an experience or even a new friend. “Where I live there is a lot of negative people, but when I came here it helps me be open and I feel alive,” said Love. Both Saby and Dee spoke described their respective teams not teams at all but as families. Vernon, going on his fourth year of sobriety, could not stop smiling when talking about scoring his gold grill shining as bright as his eyes. “This is their thing,” said Michael Alvarado, 21, Vernon’s coach “This is the one time that all the people around the nation come together and they have one thing in common: just to be

together and have fun. That’s the point of this. You see?”

And it seems like a trite thing, a soccer tournament, but it is an

Cann looked tired. He had to be. The Cup’s journey had put the players, coaches, volunteers, organizers and its founder to the

our our players and that’s why we are going to keep on doing it.” After Minneapolis celebrated winning both the men’s and women’s Cup, all the players,

matches in Times Square. “Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. But everything worked out,” said Cann as the city swirled past him standing in the center of the Square. and human beings are amazing, unbelievable beings and fundamental starting point and soccer gets to that...and then they feel normal as they should and that’s like a great gift and it relieves a big burden for them.

into the lone court for the trophy presentations. A local band played and dancing ensued, while players from different teams hugged each other and signed eachothers’ jerseys with inspirational messages. It was impossible for the thousands of spectators who passed by or stopped to watch to know of the stories or the hardships, didn’t know of housing situations or years of sobriety. All they saw were people. And they were having a good time.

Stew Crew Helps Dublin’s Poor By Jennifer May Street News Service It’s a cold Wednesday night. Most people have settled down to relax after a hard days work, but in Liberty Christian Church, Ardee Street, Dublin, seven dedicated people - known as the Stew Crew - are busy preparing sandwiches, coffee, tea and other snacks, which will be distributed from their van to those marginalized by homelessness and addiction in Dublin’s City Centre. As well as the hand of friendship (and the Stew Crew are genuinely friendly and irresolutely concerned for the people they make contact with) there are sleeping bags, jackets and other necessities to give to those who need them; all funded by the church itself, and its growing congregation. “The Stew Crew came about seven years ago through a chap named

Wayne O’Reilly, who felt he needed to help people at a grassroots level,” explains Josh Lawler, current leader of the group. “Our aim on the street is to let people know that somebody cares; to give them hope for a better future. Morale is very low and people don’t see any way out and that’s what drives them to drink, drugs and life on the streets.” Will Coakley is busy making sandwiches. A friendly, upbeat young man, who has been involved with the church for two years, he understands the problems accompanying substance abuse, having had addiction problems himself, before finally turning his life around. Like the rest of the Crew, he finds personal fulfilment in “giving a bit back” and believes times are particu-

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Supported by the Public Service Grant Commission, a program of The George Washington University’s Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service.

larly hard for people at the moment. “Lately we have seen a lot of couples on the streets,” he explains. “People can’t afford to keep their house, pay mortgages … their bills.” Sandwiches made, provisions packed, the Stew Crew pile into the van setting off for the city centre. A quick prayer (nothing fancy - just a humble thanks to Jesus for allowing them the opportunity to help) and a few jokes from Tom (who has worked on stage as a comedian all over the world) and they are soon setting up shop on Marlborough Street, a spot where drug users and the homeless often congregate. People are slow to arrive. It’s raining and there is a police presence at the top of the road, so Michael Coyle and Will take off up Abbey Street, to let people know they are there. Pretty soon people trickle over. Most of them are young (under 40) and most of them are clearly under the influence of either drugs (often the prescribed drug methadone) and/or alcohol. Stew Crew members keep the sandwiches, instant noodles and hot drinks flowing, but many of the clients seem as interested in a chat as they are with the food, and are greeted warmly by the Stew Crew, with whom there is a friendly rapport. Michael has a broken arm and fresh stitches on his head, from a recent beating which he can’t remember. He suffers from epilepsy and is just out of hospital after a prolonged stay. He doesn’t come for the food, he says, just for a chat and a bit of company. Michael says he is a reformed drinker, who is separated from his wife and children. He still seems confused from his headinjury, but has a cup of tea and talks to the Stew Crew, who seem to know him well. Patrick takes a pot of steaming noodles. He has been on methadone for years and is now also a chronic drinker, getting through a couple of bottles of vodka a day. As the rain continues to fall, a passer-by approaches to say that there is a man unconscious at the end of the road. Eamon goes to see that he is al-

right and, bringing him back to the van, patiently coaxes him awake and pours him hot soup. Pretty soon the man lapses back in semi-consciousness on the pavement, but he is not in any danger, and Eamon keeps a discreet eye on him. “The people on the streets now are not just homeless, they are spiritually broken; shattered,” says Eamon, who has been working with the Stew Crew for two years. “It can be hard emotionally at times, but it is also so rewarding. I have my debt crisis, my mortgage to pay, but when I leave here I can go home to my house. Doing this puts my own problems into perspective.” As the evening progresses more crowds arrive, some for sleeping bags, because they will be sleeping rough. Many are young women, most underdressed for the cold wet night, and one young woman - emaciated and with weeping sores and infections - looks like she is in need of immediate hospital care. A large majority are on methadone, separated from their children and the tragedy of difficult and often abusive lives is visible on their faces: almost all talk about their desire to be drug-free. When it is time for Stew Crew to pack up, the streets empty out as, like ghosts, the crowds dissipate into the inhospitable night. Driving back to the church I can’t help thinking that there is something terribly wrong in a society where so many people are left to fend for themselves in such dire circumstances. But at least there are people who care, and who are reaching out to those less fortunate. And I realize that those small gestures - that cup of tea, a chat and, crucially, that listening ear, are not really small gestures at all. First published in Ireland’s Big Issue 30 July 2012

STREET SENSE August 1 - 14, 2012

Stop the Madness

Reflections

Vendor

by Jeffery McNeil

The tragic shooting spree in Colorado has once again put gun control in the center of the national debate. While I feel sad for the families affected by the tragedy, I cannot help but feel desensitized when it comes to gun violence. While tragedies like the one that occurred in Colorado get a lot of media attention, stories like mine, one of countless examples of urban violence that happen every day get little coverage. They say a dead man can tell no tales. I guess I am lucky, for I survived my attack. I was robbed at gunpoint in Philadelphia about five years ago. There are some who would say that if I had carried a gun I might have stopped the attacker from robbing me. But I believe a gun wouldn’t have changed the outcome. Only God can control someone’s fate. While I am alive to comment on gun control today, unfortunately two of my relatives and one of my best friends are not here to give their testimony. On the other side, I know of many gun enthusiasts who are doing life sentences because they believed that guns were the way to settle differences. Trying to have a civil discussion about gun control shows why America is not enthused with either presidential candidate of this year’s election. America is fatigued by two-party politics because absolutists have hijacked both parties who are hunkered down in their ideology or beholden to powerful lobbies like the NRA or the Center for Gun Control. Rather than find a palatable agreement between gun owners and the public, they refuse to even consider that we need to find some sort of solution to curb violence. This strict adherence to ideology is also why we don’t have an energy policy, universal healthcare or tax reform: in order to protect their bottom line, a handful of billionaires and special interest groups oppose or obstruct what is best for our nation. In the end, what seems logical, like

banning assault weapons or limiting the amount of bullets a gun can fire gets turned into a partisan pissing match by absolutists. Those who want to come to a consensus become frustrated. After all the saber rattling by extremists, another deranged killer buys an assault weapon legally and goes on a rampage. Then the NRA grabs its attorneys and blocks any reasonable reform of gun control. What will it take for someone to say Stop the Madness? If Colorado isn’t the boiling point, what will it take for us to challenge the strict constructionist view of the Second Amendment and make laws that protect the gunless from the gun user, even if it inconveniences a few gun owners? The use of assault weapons is not in the spirit of self-defense; the main intention of someone using an assault weapon is to find enemy combatants and kill as many as possible. I can make an educated assumption that when the Constitution was created, the Founding Fathers reasonably assessed that America would look differently once they passed on. They believed in a living Constitution that adapts to the times instead of a strictly interpreted Constitution that resembles nothing like the America we know today. Whatever it was that the Founding Fathers thought they were creating, it isn’t what we have today. I am skeptical about whether this mass shooting will be the turning point in gun control that leads to comprehensive reform. However I am optimistic because our nation has fought some powerful lobbies like tobacco, insurance and the food industry that in the past stood in the way of change to protect their interests instead of the overall welfare of our country. I consider gun violence an epidemic on par with HIV and world poverty. The time is now to end senseless killing that could be prevented with common sense laws that allow gun owners to carry arms while at the same time ensuring that innocent people are not exposed to gunfire.

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OPINION

by Sybil Taylor

Hard Times Life has its ups and downs and turnarounds Hard struggles, in life I have my ups and downs Sad and bad times, I keep a smile on my Face, to hide the hurt and pain from others. Although I may smile and laugh I am saddened by life Itself. I had my good times, smiling times, But life changes. I used to be a professional model: Outgoing, into activities Always that Number One role model. Cute face With dimples. I made the world and People smile. Love has no color or speech or name. It was a chapter In my life at one point. Not any more.

The People Who Love Me I have found someone who really cares and loves me No matter what life brings. He has been my friend To the end. Daniel Ball has been my champion through Hard times, sick times, depression times. When I have been feeling lonely, remembering the hurt Of past relationships, thinking about losing my job Due to the bad economy. Then there are my mom My dad and my sister, who have supported me through Rough and sad times. They understand like nobody else The struggle I have with money, trying to make a living With Street Sense. They are my greatest loves in the world. Nobody cares about me like they do, and always have.

I am Strong I am strong. I am a winner. No matter what I will Hang in there. Not homeless No more I have a place to stay.

The Street Sense Writers’ Group is led by two writing professionals and meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The group’s goal is to develop ideas and colaborate on the next great issue of Street Sense.

Friendship By Gwynette Smith Vendor

Friendship is such a waste When you look at it for what it is. Do I need someone else to lie to me Resent me, use me? Do I really want to see my failings In another person? Or worse still, not see them? See the truth! Marriage, two-and-a-half kids, Happy most of the time rarely happens Do I really need to know

That she wants my man or he wants her? Why can’t I retreat into my dreams of life? From TV, CDs, novels, the movies? Do I need that window to remind me That the true meaning of life could be service? Or, do I need that mirror to remind me? Great friendships rarely exist. But friendship exists for some reason. And can sometimes be more than a family Which simply occurs from birth.

BOSWELL OF THE BLUES By Chris Shaw Cowboy Poet This is an autobiographical story, which appeared originally in EYEMAZING Magazine (Summer 2012), in slightly different form, under the title “The Blues Men Chronicler.” “To hold in a photograph what is precious, the delicate nature of what is passing, led Chris“Sky”Shaw to document the great Mississippi blues men who, like the old buildings falling down around him, he witnessed being lost to us, at an alarming pace. [He] knew instinctively not to interfere with the camera’s ability to see clearly, and in return the profound nature of these men and women was captured with the same great beauty, at the heart of his architectural work.” --Joseph Mills, photographer I have long been obsessed with the cosmic conundrum of being a part of Life itself—but then, dealing with the constant stream of loss of the more endearing, “cozy,” comforting aspects thereof. For me, the camera (as long as film was a viable medium, which for now seems moot)—represented a liquid pool, into which I could drink deep, and entrap enduring images at their mist graphically memorable. Such as it was with the “Bluesmen,” whom having befriended while volunteering my basic services in the longago Smithsonian Folklife festivals of

the mid-1970s; not only allowed me to document them in all their quirky ways, but taught me some smoking hot licks that proved the basis of my own guitar repertory! Musically I’d been inculcated on the piano at my dear Mom’s knee, not to mention the days I spent as a high school kid haunting my friend Bobby’s record collection, which he’s culled – along with a prized red Ephiphone electric—from trips to Chicago and hangin’ with the legendary singer ‘Magic Sam.’ I recreated the acolyte experience of my own, by following roots musicians during their tour of DC as participants in the Festival. Needless to say, my most memorable mentors were certainly Professor Longhair from New Orleans, the Creole accordionist Clifton Chenier, and Chicago folks Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins, and Lefty Dizz and Vince Chappelle, Koko Taylor’s sidemen who ultimately invited me to ‘bunk up’ with them in “sweet home” Chicago. Framing this gleaming picture of musical Nirvana for a starry-eyed “ice boy “ just barely in his twenties, was my reverential “grasshopper’ worship of two genuine and gifted Mississippi “griots”, Houston Stackhouse and Robert Junior Lockwood who bore the indelible distinction of having run with the mighty Robert Johnson himself. These infinitely patient gentlemen put up with my nosy and nasal questioning, and Stackhouse ultimately yielded up one of my most iconic portraits.

Ergo, the quality exchange of my obtaining the ancient “Blues wisdom”, and some amazing insight as revealed thru the lens of my 195 Polaroid bellows camera was well balanced by these players’ seemingly endless patience with my young ‘hothead’ self. As I toted notions and sodas for these ‘wise folk’ (one off-site errand involved traveling in some Southern participants’ long black Cadillac to buy them some Ace “Process combs” from an unfriendly drug store), I felt any chill condescension thaw fast . Mistrust was replaced with the exchange of family tales, and then in turn I’d happily escort some of my new friends around to my native capital’s more hidden treasure spots. Eventually, I helped the restless visitors find local stages where they were able to jam after hours, places long forgotten now: Cousin Nick’s and the Childe Harold. Truly, in a sense, after my protracted experience living among these marvelous and unique individuals who clearly had much

more to offer than just entertainers in the folk fest—it was very clear that I would never jump off the ongoing Carnival wagon that is the wondrous traveling circus that is the Blues!

STREET SENSE August 1 - 13, 2012

113

VENDOR WRITING Is Housing a Human Right?

Sugar, the Kitten Who Saved My Life

An excerpt from the testimony of Robert Warren made before the District of Columbia Commission on Human Rights, July 11, 2012

By Veda Simpson Vendor

In the deepest part of my addiction I met this pretty little black and white kitten. She was timid, afraid but wanted to be loved. I knew then she was sent to me from the heavens above. Running behind trees, up under cars, Although she dipped and dodged, she didn’t wander far. When we reached my house, I knew she was sleepy and I had to feed her. That’s when my priorities stepped in: It was either more dope or getting her something to eat. God spoke to me with a loving, soft voice Now is the time to make a choice. I thought if he trusts me to take care of a living creature like he’s taken care of me, My eyes were then open to another way of life: I began to see. Still today I’m grateful and I thank God for sending that little black and white kitten to show me a better way to live. Now every day I look to pay it forward, I look for a way to give.

My name is Robert Warren. I am the director of People for Fairness Coalition. Our primary mission is to advocate for affordable housing for people who are experiencing joblessness and homelessness. People have different definitions for what constitutes affordable housing. Our group has come to a consensus with other bodies who also agree that affordable housing should cost one third of a family’s income. I want to thank the commission for giving me the chance to address the issue of housing as a human right. I would like to... read a portion of testimony of Patricia Fugere, the executive director of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless that she gave on April 30, 2012 to the DC Council Committee of the Whole. “A little more than three years ago, the DC Council declared the nation’s capital to be a “Human Rights City. As on many issues, DC was a leader in doing so, the first US city to embrace formally the notion of human rights as the guiding principle toward which this community would strive. ...But we

stopped short , and the budget on which you will be voting in several weeks falls perilously short of giving the notion of ‘human rights’ true and full meaning for all of this community’s residents.” I would like to know the commission’s thinking on declaring some form of housing a human right in the District of Columbia. With the Fiscal Year 2013 budget having a s h o r t f a l l of $7.5 million and the prospect of low-barrier shelters being closed after April 1, 2013 and people being put out on the street being denied the right to shelter in a Human Rights City, I believe that the citizens of Washington, DC a Human Rights City are being economically discriminated against when it comes to affordable housing in Washington, DC, a Human Rights City. I would hope this body would be willing to better address the lack of affordable housing in DC as to the extent possible they can. Thank you once again for the opportunity to speak to you this evening. -Robert Warren is a Street Sense vendor

LADY LUCK SHINES ON PFFC By Eugene Sanford Volunteer

The People for Fairness Coalition (PFFC) recently celebrated its fourth anniversary at Miriam’s Kitchen. Twenty-two members, past and present, plus special guests and supporters, gathered for cake, cookies and drinks. There was also the announcement of a surprise gift: PFFC received a $300 donation from an organization known as Lean Forward. PFFC was founded in 2008 by a few homeless individuals concerned about heat and hot water problems at one city shelter and the closing of another and has since evolved and grown, serving as a voice for the poor and homeless in city government. As part of the birthday celebration, many members were recognized with awards for their contributions over the years. Four veterans of PFFC, Anthony C. Davis, Pastor Yolanda L Bynum, Richard Embden and Lafayette Wright were given the PFFC Veterans Award. Others were also cited for their support of PFFC. They included Mi-

chael Fisher, Jr. and Adam Rocap, facilitators of PFFC, who have helped this group to stay grounded; O.B. Black, for his outreach work, including empowering shelter residents to vote during PFFC’s Voter Registration Drive; Carlton P. Harris, for his work with Occupy DC and outreach; John McDermott, who has helped others, including this reporter, along with his tireless efforts during outreach, and for advocating for those who can not speak for themselves and Todd C. Wiggins, for his work with media operations. Albert Townsend, Robert Warren, Paul Lee Taylor and Amanda Formica were commended for their outreach efforts. And Eugene Sanford, this reporter, was recognized for recording meeting minutesand designing the awards for all recipients.Miriam’s Kitchen Security was also cited for its support of PFFC.

Nina the Detective and the Revealing Photos

PART EIGH T

By Ivory Wilson Vendor The story so far: A pimp named Mick-the-Tick has photographic evidence that the mayor is a violent pedophile. Mick is in the lockup at the police station. He agreed to give the incriminating evidence to Nina if she can get the charges against him dropped.

aptain Newton and D.A. Winston are sitting in the D.A.’s office. There is a knock on the door and Detective Nina walks in and closes the door behind her. “Okay, Nina. How about telling the D.A. what you just told me,” the Captain said. Nina nods and turns toward the D.A. “First, I’ve got to have your word on a deal, Mr. Winston. You see, this lead comes from my snitch, Mick-the-Tick. He even has pictures he’s willing to turn over to us, but we’ve got to drop pimping and gambling charges that have him down in the lockup.” D.A. Winston starts to frown. “Damn pimp. I don’t know about dropping those charges. Tell me what else you have and then we’ll see.” Nina stares directly at the D.A. and says, “I have under my protection an underage girl who has been having sex with Mayor Richard. She was beaten badly enough to send her to the hospital.

At first, the D.A. is speechless and his mouth is open. “You have her now?” he asks. “Yes,” Nina replies. “Now, do we have a deal or not, Mr. Winston?” Finally, the D.A. starts to smile. “We certainly do, Detective. As soon as I have the pictures we’ve got a deal and your snitch can walk. How’s that? But for now, we all need to meet in Judge Andrew’s chambers in one hour.” Nina walks out of the room and heads downstairs to Mick’s cell in the lockup. “Where are the photos, Mick?” she asks. “It’s been a real stressful day and I don’t have time for anything but straight answers.” “They’re in the trunk of my car, under the spare tire,” says Mick. “And where is your car now?” “In the police pound. Now, can you get me out of here?” “Not so fast, Mick. You sit tight and I’ll be back.” Nina leaves the lockup, walks across the street to the pound, and asks the officer for the key to Mick’s car, the candy red Caddie in the back of the lot. Nina opens the trunk, moves the spare tire, grabs the pile of photographs and closes the trunk. She walks back across the street and heads straight to Captain Newton’s office. Nina walks in and closes the door behind her. She hands

the pile of photographs to the Captain, who looks through them, slowly mutters a few “hmmms,” and puts the pile of photos in his jacket pocket. “Well, Mr. Mayor,” the Captain says to Nina, “I hope you’re ready to clean up this city.” Nina smiles and says, “Thank you, Captain, but I’m not planning on leaving the Department.” “Not to worry, young lady, the Captain replies. “It seems to me that you and Harry there are well on your way to becoming legends. In act, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if someday some young writer puts your story in print” Nina smiles at the thought of seeing her name in print and then reminds the Captain that they are due at the courthouse. Five minutes later, joining D.A. Winston and Judge Andrews in the judge’s chambers, the Captain hands the photos to the D.A. The D.A. takes a quick glance and passes them on to the judge. After looking through the photos, Judge Andrews announces, “The city will have the mayor’s head for this.” He then asks, “Is this the same girl you’re having protected?” “Yes,” says the Captain. “Now, can we have the photos back?” “They’re all yours,” says the

judge. The D.A. has a few more words with the judge and then turns to Nina and the Captain and says, “You can release the pimp and you’ll have a warrant for the arrest of the Mayor within an hour.” Back in his office, the Captain calls downstairs and tells the lockup that Mick-the-Tick. Nina tells the Captain that she will be right back. “I have a bit of unfinished business with Mick.” The Captain tells Nina to be gentle and not to mess up Mick’s curl. Downstairs, Nina watches as Mick

struts out of the lockup heading toward the pound. Mick is touching his Jheri curl when he sees Nina sitting on the hood of his red Caddie with her feet on the chrome.” Hey, Ma’am Cakes,” he exclaims. “That car cost $45,000 that you can’t afford. So get off my car, lady.” Nina stands up and says, “Mick, you need to know that I still have those photos and they sure could fall into the mob’s hands.” “Come on, woman,” Mick says. “You wouldn’t do that to Mick after I helped you out and all. Look, I’m finished talking to you, Ma’am Cakes.” “I told you never to call me that, Mick,” Nina says, as she spins around with a back kick that knocks Mick to the ground. His face is in the dirt and his Jheri curl is messed up. Mick wipes the dirt from his face, looks up at Nina and tells her she is a crazy woman. Nina walks back up to Mick, puts her foot on his neck and presses his face back into the dirt. “Just so we’re clear,” she says, “if you had beaten Penny, this would be a lot worse for you.” She takes her foot off his neck and walks away. Twenty minutes later, back in her office, Captain Newton walks over and tells her, “It’s time to start taking back our city.” Mayor Richard is at home in his study getting ready to go out and find Penny. Looking outside, he sees three police cars drive up. He watches as Nina gets our of the first car and starts to walk slowly up to the house. Mayor Richard sits down at his desk. He thinks about his wife and how this is going to hurt her. He thinks about all the wrong he’s done. He reaches into a desk drawer and withdraws his gun, puts it up to his temple and pulls the trigger. Hearing the shot Nina rushes into the Mayor’s house and sees him lying dead on the floor. “You bastard,” she thinks. “You took the easy way out. Good for you and good riddance, Mayor.” Nina turns, leaves the house and drives away.

The End

Service Spotlight: Bread for the City By Case Keltner Editorial Intern The Interfaith Conference (IFC) aims to promote dialogue, understanding and a sense of community among persons of diverse faiths and to work cooperatively for social and economic justice in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The 11 member faiths include Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Protestantism. Additionally the IFC reaches out to the Baha’i, Jain, Latter-day Saints, Sikh and Zoroastrian faith communities. The final goal of the conference? Making the District the symbol of social and economic justice the member organizations believe it should be. Individuals attending the conference have the opportunity to educate and advocate for their faith while also gaining a more complete understanding of other religions. This mutual interfaith understanding then promotes a coalition of communities.

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

The IFC expands on their vision of “advancing justice, building community,” and “nurturing understanding” through a variety of service programs throughout the city. Youth from different communities unite to clean up the environment and construct lowincome housing for needy families. Such projects make the District much more livable and establish a welcoming social landscape. By inviting religious leaders and active youth driven to improve their city, the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington hopes to promote justice and cooperation. Instead of seeing Wards 1-8 as separate communities, the IFC hopes that the nation’s capital will transform into a united, cooperative and proactive capital that becomes a symbol for religious collaboration.

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

STREET SENSE August 1- August 14, 2012

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

Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356,www.communityofhopedc.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

Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE (202) 610–9600, www.covenanthousedc.org

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

John Young Center (Women) 119 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469, www.catholiccharitiesdc.org

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

VENDOR PROFILE: PHILLIP BLACK

LAST WORD: UNFAIR SYSTEM?

By Evi Mariani Editorial Intern

His custome r s k n o w Ph i l lip Black, 46, as “The Cat in the Hat,” because he always wears a goofy red and white Dr. Seuss hat. One day in spring, dozens of children who were on a bus tour in D.C. saw him with his hat and stopped by the corner of E and 11th streets NW, where he sells Street Sense, to take pictures with him. “I took about 30 pictures this morning [with the kids],” he said. Black started wearing the hat two years ago on March 2, the birthday of Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel. “I put it on and I liked it and I started wearing it every day.” He has about 10 similar hats. “The Cat and the Hat,” also becomes his pen name whenever he writes for Street Sense. He writes poetry and shares his own story. He also writes about his children. Black has two daughters who lived with him until about four years ago when Black became homeless after having surgery for nine bleeding ulcers and then losing his job. During the past four years, his daughters have lived with their mother in North Carolina. “They’re coming June 15,” he said. “I’m ready.”

“I’m going to take them to Six Flags, Kings Dominion, to the museums, and then I’m going to get them to schools,” he said. The three of them will live in Prince George’s County, Md., where Black has a two-bedroom apartment from a government program called Pathways to Housing. He was on the waiting list for two years before he got the place. Black sells Street Sense for a living, but he also does plumbing. He went to school for plumbing and worked in a plumbing company for 10 years. But when he got sick, his employer replaced him with someone else. His plan for the future is to start his own business, Black’s Plumbing, and to work for himself. Though he knows he may not make as much money as working for a company, he said he chooses to work on his own to have more time with his children. Some of his Street Sense customers know that he is a plumber, so sometimes he gets a call to do some plumbing work. “I still have all my tools; when I was homeless, my cousin kept all my tools,” he said. “Now I’m still involved with Street Sense, and I’m doing plumbing on the side. That way I can still spend time with my children.” “It’s tough living on the street,” Black said. “But I’m a strong person, and Street Sense helped me so much. I believe in Street Sense.”

James Davis- August 1 Gwynette Smith- August 9 August 1-14, 2012 . Volume 9 . Issue 18

Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW

Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC

Washington, DC 20005

Mail To:

Permit #568

Remember, only buy from badged vendors and do not give to those panhandling with one paper. Interested in a subscription? Go to page 3 for more information.

I came to the United States of America 10 months ago for the U.S. State Department’s Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. Before I left Indonesia, some of my friends told me to find a permanent job in the United States or give birth to a child here. Why? To have an opportunity for me or my child to reach the American dream, they said. The American dream is an international dream. Those who grew up watching Hollywood movies would know about this. Theoretically at least, anyone who comes to the U.S., or any American citizen, regardless of his or her race, religion or beliefs, can reach the dream as long as he or she works hard. Those who fail, despite the ample opportunity that this system provides, did not work hard enough or did things like abusing drugs or alcohol, they say. In reality, things are more complex. And I have learned about this thanks to my professional affiliation with Street Sense. Not many people realize this, however. On the surface, the problems of homelessness and poverty in the U.S. are seemingly simple: Poor people just did not try hard enough. It’s good enough that they get charity from taxpayers and generous Americans, and there is nothing wrong with the system. But if one looks deeper, the system is unfair; it doesn’t provide a level-playing field. People make mistakes, but if you are an African American born and raised in a poor neighborhood in Washington, D.C., one mistake is enough to get you in a downward spiral and a rapid one. Life can be unforgiving for some Americans. The United States forgave Bristol Palin for her “mistake” of becoming a single mother when she was 18. She is now famous and a campaigner for teenage pregnancy prevention. America is not as forgiving to Javis Wills of Barry Farm, Anacostia, who became a single mother when she was 17 years old. She and her now 4-year-old daughter live on $270 a month from government aid, and she has yet to find a job or funds to go to college despite finishing high school with a grade point average of 3.83. I came here when the Occupy movement was rising. I feel lucky that I am among the witnesses of change in the U.S.. More Americans realize that there is something wrong with the system because too many people fail.

It’s been months since I last heard of any significant news about the Occupy movement. Nevertheless, I believe that many Americans have changed their perspectives on social justice. I hope that someday fewer Americans will rush in their judgments about poor people. I hope that more Americans will follow the steps of those who regularly buy Street Sense. And I hope that America will take to the streets again and force the powerful people to listen to them: Fix the system that gives too much opportunity to the rich people and not enough to the poor or even to the middle class. I’’m saying goodbye to the United States and Street Sense, where Mary Otto, Eric Falquero, Allen Hoorn, Brian Carome and volunteers like Roberta and Brandon dedicate a large part of their lives to helping homeless people in D.C. These people have given me a precious lesson and inspiration for helping people like Street Sense vendors, who in turn teach me about resilience, the fighting spirit and the “audacity of hope.” I will bring the inspiration that comes from your good hearts to Indonesia, where 100 million people live on less than $2 a day.

Summer Games By Evelyn Nnam Vendor

Summer Games in all their glory Under clear blue skies Many flowers are blooming Manifesting life Everyone is rejoicing The return of paradise This is what summer means To me.