04.20.2022 by Street Sense Media

VOL. 19 ISSUE 22

APRIL 20 - 26, 2022

Real Stories

Real People

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Real Change

Inside this edition: • Challenges for Homeless Youth Seeking Employment • Earth Day Events & Activities • Process” • Poetry, Arts, & More!

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The Cover

Leo Grayburn

The Street Sense Media Story, #MoreThanANewspaper Originally founded as a street newspaper in 2003, Street Sense Media has evolved into a multimedia center using a range of creative platforms to spotlight solutions to homelessness and empower people in need. The men and women theatre, illustration, and more to share their stories with our community. Our media channels elevate voices, our newspaper vendor and digital marketing programs provide economic independence. And our in-house case-management services move people forward along the path toward permanent supportive housing.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Will Schick

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INTERNS Hajira Fuad, Jem Dyson, Nick Pasion, Ashleigh Fields, Ingrid Holmquist, Alex Lawler

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NEWS IN BRIEF

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AT A GLANCE VENDOR PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS • Take a vendor survey. Collect 10 papers and make $10! See Thomas, Darick or Leo. • The next vendor meeting is this Friday at 2 p.m. Enjoy free food and drinks!

DCHA website. Photo by Will Schick

Residents elect Kenneth Council and Denise Blackson to DCHA board ANNEMARIE CUCCIA Staff Reporter

Public housing residents elected Kenneth Council and Denise Blackson to serve in the resident commissioner seats on D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA)’s Board of Commissioners on April 8. The Board of Commissioners oversees rule making for the public housing agency. It’s made up of 11 members, most of whom are appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser. Three seats are reserved for DCHA residents of all properties, family properties and elderly and disabled properties. Council has held the at-large seat for 12 years and was handily elected for another term, winning 133 votes to opponent Crystal Nelson’s 64, according to a preliminary vote count. Blackson is currently the ANC commissioner for 6E06 and ran unopposed for the family seat, earning 62 votes. She will replace current family commissioner Aquarius Vann-Ghasri. They will join the newly-elected elderly and disabled resident commissioner, Janet Parker. Elections for the three seats were repeatedly delayed by the pandemic. All three seats were slated to be elected in February, but only Parker registered to run. Council is a D.C. native and has lived in Fort Dupont Dwellings for five decades. He worked at the Pentagon as a database US Army. In addition to the DCHA BOC, he has served on the DCHA Citywide advisory board, the Fort Dupont Resident Council and the Board of Trustees of the East of the River Family Strengthening Collaborative.

Blackson is also a long-time D.C. resident, and graduated from University of D.C. She’s lived in her single member district for a quarter of a century, and is a community outreach specialist. She’s the president of her community, Sibley Townhomes, and as a mom of eight, prioritizes caring for her community, passing out food, cleaning products and backpacks for school-age children. Prior to the election, Council, Blackson, and Nelson attended a virtual candidate forum on April 1. A major theme of the night was how residents could have more power on the DCHA board, given that they are in the minority and often oppose the measures the mayor’s appointees support. One idea, supported by both candidates, is to split the senior/disabled seat in two, which would also allow those commissioners to handle the needs of senior and disabled populations separately, since they are not synonymous. Both candidates also pledged to push the board to share more information with resident leaders, including making sure they have the text of resolutions before they are voted on and being transparent about what impact money given to developers has. These elections mark the latest change in a board that’s seen rapid turnover in the last two years following the resignation of former chairman Neil Albert, dismissal of voucher holder commissioner Franselene St. Jean and failure to renew the contract of former executive director Tyrone Garrett.

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The opinion article titled “Inclusionary zoning isn’t enough to meet Maryland’s affordable housing needs” from the issue published on April 6 was originally published by Greater Greater Washington. Follow more headlines at StreetSenseMedia.org/news

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NEWS

Despite rule change, DCHA is not allowing identity selfANNEMARIE CUCCIA Staff Reporter

DCHA building. Photo by Will Schick

ocal housing advocates thought they had prevailed in their long-standing push to allow people seeking housing vouchers to self-certify their eligibility, but they’re crying foul after the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) distributed guidance that contradicts a key element of the regulations approved by the agency’s Board of Commissioners in February at the prodding of the D.C. Council.

The guidance distributed last month says explicitly that people applying for housing vouchers cannot self-certify their identity, notwithstanding the emergency regulations adopted

own identity, birthdate, income, and disability status without these supporting documents. Many people seeking PSH vouchers don’t have an ID given

confusing housing advocates and providers, who are calling

vital documents while experiencing homelessness. Applying for a new one can be a long and complicated process, taking on average one year for people born out of state, and potentially up to three. This delays the process of actually moving into housing: It takes an average of 126 days to match a PSH applicant to housing, according to the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Meanwhile, a federal program that

housing sooner, the advocates object to the DCHA’s renewed insistence that people experiencing homelessness prove their identity by presenting a government-issued photo ID. What’s

based vouchers issued through the Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP). This includes Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers, given to individuals who experience chronic homelessness to cover the full cost of rent. Prior to adopting self-certification as a temporary streamlining measure at the height of the pandemic, DCHA required voucher applicants to provide copies of the birth

of domestic abuse says it is receiving inconsistent information

Social Security cards, pay stubs and government-issued ID.

for Emergency Housing Vouchers meant DCHA could match people to housing in just 19 days. Recognizing this, the D.C. Council inserted a requirement into the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Act (BSA) that DCHA

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allow self-certification through emergency rules. DCHA missed the initial November 2021 deadline, but its Board

said Erin Byrne, the evaluations specialist at DCCADV.

completed applications to DCHA. In mid-March, DCHA’s Social Security number, annual income, family relationship and additional household members. Applicants have to submit

throughout this whole process, Byrne said. Having just

issued ID, and Social Security card. In response, Byrne said, eligibility two years after the initial application. The guidelines DCHA subsequently circulated to providers — a copy of which was obtained by Street Sense Media and The DC Line — specify that people applying for LRSP vouchers may self-certify their name, date of birth, Social Security number and income. However, the guidelines add

That’s significantly more restrictive than the DCHA at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. It’s also counter to the council’s intent, she said. “DCHA is not following its own regulations, and it’s said. The continued requirement of a photo ID is especially of identity as the largest win from the regulations. While people applying for vouchers could have trouble obtaining documents to verify income or disability, “the inability to self-certify IDs is one of the biggest barriers and time delays Jesse Rabinowitz, senior manager for policy and advocacy at Miriam's Kitchen. “We’re confused as to why the Housing Authority has chosen this posture, especially because their DCHA, however, contends that the implementation is in compliance with both the BSA and the new regulations. “In accordance with the 2022 BSA Act, the DC Housing Authority allows participants to self-certify documents for housing assistance. In order to self-certify, participants are required to prove their identity with any governmentrelations specialist at DCHA, wrote in an email. Goodman added that DCHA must follow federal rules, which require a photo ID. However, advocates argue that those rules don’t apply to PSH and other LRSP vouchers, which are funded with local money — leaving D.C. free to set rules that do not require a photo ID. for voucher applicants and providers, according to Seema Sandhu, systems advocacy coordinator at the D.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCCADV). The coalition works with organizations that provide housing and other services to survivors of domestic violence. Last year, the D.C. Council allocated 60 tenant-based LRSP vouchers for survivors, and DCHA contacted the coalition early in 2022 to begin the referral process. Representatives from the two entities met soon after the didn’t receive many answers when she asked how those rules would impact the vouchers DCCADV was administering. Throughout the planning process, according to Sandhu, DCHA employees never explicitly said applicants would need to have an ID card, but they did indicate that any eligibility

When DCCADV opened its referral process on March 9,

form. every iteration I'm reminding them that’s something we’re The reaction has varied. Some DCHA employees have said that an ID is required no matter what. Some have seemed to accept self-certification once they’ve been reminded. One asked for a Social Security form that doesn’t appear to exist. And some have told Byrne the vouchers DCCADV is DCHA has a month to accept applications after their submission, and none of DCCADV’s clients have received formal responses. But Byrne said she worries that the confusion will lead to inappropriate denials.

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based on D.C. Council legislation — from getting housing said. For the survivors DCCADV serves, self-certification could mean more than just a speedier move to permanent housing. In cases involving child support, the survivor may be retraumatized by having to ask the abuser to sign an income

You’ll support hard-working newspaper vendors by volunteering your time, four hours a week, distributing newspapers at the Street Sense Media office.

survivors could be forced to move back in with an abuser, or face homelessness, Sandhu said. Over the past month, providers and advocates have raised concerns about the confusion around implementation to

If interested, please contact

“It seems like DCHA is going to interpret the guidelines the way they want to instead of ensuring that housing continues

For more information about these opportunities and other volunter positions, visit StreetSenseMedia.org/volunteer

This article is co-published with The DC Line

Thomas Ratliff thomas@streetsensemedia.org 202-347-2006 (x103)

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NEWS

What kind of support do youth experiencing ANNEMARIE CUCCIA Staff Reporter

From left to right: Flo White, Troy Harris and Acree Strong. Photo courtesy of the Sasha Bruce Youthwork

go to college part time while working two jobs to pay the rent on her new apartment. And for a while, it went well. For the

was going according to plan. She found an apartment and a roommate and signed a lease. But her part-time jobs were only paying her $12 and $13 an hour. And working them while taking classes proved overwhelming. By the age of 19, White lost her apartment and entered D.C.’s youth homelessness system. One of the two jobs went next, then college. With only one low-wage job left for support, White was caught in a wave of debts, back rent, and exhaustion that she just couldn’t swim out of, even though she tried to do so every day. At one point, in hopes of finding a more sustainable

job, White turned to D.C.’s workforce development and employment system. She knew she wanted to be a social

— many young people experiencing homelessness say the and emotional support into account. In response, youth

center. D.C.’s Department of Employment Services (DOES) and Department of Human Services (DHS) provide a host of workforce development and readiness programs aimed at preparing D.C. residents for the job market and training them

jobs and worked in restaurants, often making minimum wage. Her dream of being a social worker was still as far away as it had ever been. It was only when she connected with D.C. (in D.C. at least $20.65 an hour for someone without children) She’s not alone: While D.C.’s workforce development options are available to all residents — including 16- to 24-year-olds

program that would target youth experiencing homelessness. Across the country, youth experiencing homelessness have a markedly high unemployment rate, with an estimated 75% unemployed, compared to 16% of housed youth. Many of the same challenges that can prevent youth experiencing homelessness from finding a job — not just the lack of housing and a permanent address, but also little or no access to transportation, the internet, professional clothing, and a support network — can also prevent youth from completing a workforce development program. There are myriad reasons workforce development may not work for potential participants. That’s particularly true for youth experiencing homelessness, according to June

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Crenshaw, executive director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, an organization serving homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Programs do not necessarily lead to jobs that will pay a livable wage, and young people experiencing homelessness generally can’t afford to sit in training sessions they aren’t being paid for. Even if youth make the tough decision to forgo weeks of pay in hopes of job development, they may not be welcomed — over 40% of youth experiencing homelessness in D.C. are queer, and they often report experiencing discrimination and harassment in the workplace, according to Crenshaw. Queer young people experiencing homelessness often feel they’re not hired because of their gender and sexual identity, in an environment where colleagues make derogatory or aggressive comments with no repercussions. Discriminatory treatment in the workplace, in turn, can trigger rejection-related trauma, or just plain anger, according to Crenshaw. And that has consequences. “If any of our kids have one bad day, it could mean the end director at SMYAL, a local organization serving queer youth at risk of homelessness. A few new DHS and non-governmental attempts to tailor job services to youth experiencing homelessness have sprung up in the last few years. But nearly all of the advocates and youth interviewed for this article responded to a question about current offerings the same way: The available options don’t provide real opportunities. Large-scale initiatives like DOES’s Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) are tailored primarily to the needs of current students. SYEP subsidizes an internship or workforce training for D.C. residents aged 14 to 24 for six weeks in June, July and August, but the positions are not intended to lead immediately to a job. Career Connections, a DOES program aimed at out-of-school-youth, only serves ages 20 to 24 and pays a training wage below minimum wage at $9 an hour. DOES’s Pathways for Young Adults Program and its Outof-School Program both offer job training, as do initiatives funded through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Though these options offer training in about a dozen career areas, they do not guarantee participants a job after completion, and only Pathways is paid. DOES has ventured into more targeted offerings, including a transgender cohort in the Project Empowerment program, a work-readiness initiative that provides subsidized employment placements, and a transitional housing component for homeless

can keep. Though workforce development programs offer

supports creating cohorts in each workforce program for youth

limited and don’t transfer well to entrepreneurship, something of interest to many youth at Sasha Bruce. Strong, White and Harris all said potential participants need more wraparound support from the programs generally — continuing mentorship, training on how to budget and pay taxes, and assistance in applying for jobs once the program ends. “Connectivity is super important, and also putting the pieces

in mind. At a March 28 budget oversight hearing, DOES Director Unique Morris-Hughes argued that opportunities do exist for youth experiencing homelessness. “I would say between DOES and DHS we do have a strong record in serving homeless

With all of these criticisms swirling around, youth experiencing homelessness are choosing not to participate in government-based workforce programs, Crenshaw said.

‘It should just be better’ Such is Harris’s overarching assessment of how youth workforce options can improve. In practice, that ask could mean a few things: revising general workforce opportunities to provide mental health hiring youth who go through these programs to jobs in the

for and limited to LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, given the unique challenges they face. All offerings, youth and advocates say, need to pay living wages and put youth on a

into account in most D.C. workforce programs, according to Crenshaw. Acree Strong, Flo White and Troy Harris all serve on Sasha Bruce’s Youth Advisory Council, which provides feedback from youth with lived experiences of homelessness. In Strong’s experience, some youth manage to overcome these barriers and get hired — just not at jobs they want or

cohorts in existing programs geared to youth experiencing homelessness, but she didn’t indicate how much funding would be necessary to do so. Short term, Strong and Crenshaw say DOES and other D.C. agencies can take a lead by hiring youth experiencing homelessness, especially those who have completed job who would be able to see their own future in current D.C. employees, Strong said. Without government support, advocates say private organizations have to step up to hire and mentor youth with a lot of employers on partnerships, he singled out the efforts of Capitol Hill’s new queer space and bar, As You Are, as an especially promising model. The owners reached out to SMYAL and the Wanda Alston Foundation about hiring from the LGBTQ+ community, and they are hoping to provide employees with skills that will be useful in future jobs. “Although this is a brand-new model, it’s being done with such focus and attention on vulnerable populations that

“Sustainability is the key there — sustainability is kind of

When it comes to ensuring youth experiencing homelessness

D.C. Action’s Rachel White is hoping that a grant program administered by DHS could provide a model. The initiative, officially called “Workforce Development Program for Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming

community has a role to play. “If people want us to be stable, if people want us to change our lives and put our life together, somebody has to give us

provide wraparound workforce development for 18 to 24-yearolds experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Grant recipient Project LEAP, operated by SHUGG’s Place while youth are looking for employment or participating in workforce development. Project LEAP offers training, with courses in hospitality, culinary arts, community health, arts, and The program is just beginning its second year, according to 30 youth have enrolled in Project LEAP, but most left prior to

provide comment on the efficacy of its programs before deadline. D.C. Action, a youth advocacy group, recently conducted an internal survey of 16 to 24-year-olds experiencing homelessness about their experiences in these programs. Most youth surveyed participated in either SYEP or SNAP, according to Rachel White, senior youth policy analyst at D.C. Action. Youth reported that current workforce development options were not accessible to people without a sustainable place to live because of a lack of transportation, child care, professional clothes and laundry facilities. While at work or in training, youth are likely to worry about their housing and food instability, Crenshaw said. They may not be able to show up from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or they may have

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Project LEAP is not immune to the problems other workforce the grant’s creation, Crenshaw said the program didn’t help help them long-term. Thomas acknowledged that Project LEAP does not guarantee employment. “But we can put you in the position where you are

than setting them up for a career. Still, Rachel White would like to see this model used in programs for all youth experiencing homelessness. She said DHS is interested in the idea but would need $1 million in funding through DOES, an ask White made during the current round of budget oversight hearings. Broadly speaking, advocates would like to see current offerings include wraparound mental health and trauma supports. Youth should be paid for any training they attend, White argued, and receive stipends for transportation and work attire. At-large Councilmember Elissa Silverman, who chairs the committee that oversees DOES, said in an interview she

This article is co-published with The DC Line

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NEWS

DC Mobile Voting Coalition calls for hearing on mobile voting bill KAELA ROEDER Deputy Editor

he D.C. Mobile Voting Coalition held a press conference Tuesday to pressure Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen to schedule a hearing on the Mobile VOTE Act. Introduced by Councilmember Brooke Pinto and co-introduced by Chairman Mendelson and six others in February of this year, the bill would allow District residents to cast votes on their electronic devices. National Federation of the Blind District of Columbia told the crowd. Rev. Graylan Hagler, a senior pastor at the Plymouth United Church of Christ, said the bill would boost voter turnout by expanding access to workers who can’t get away from their jobs to cast a ballot. He also said it would assist people with disabilities and people with limited

D.C. Mobile Voting Coalition holds a press conference with Councilmember Brooke Pinto. Photo by Alex Lawler

with Street Sense Media. “You want to hold the city council and the mayor accountable. The less people you have participating, the less In 2020, 28% of registered voters cast ballots during the primary and 67% voted in the general election, according to The Washington Post. This signals room for improvement, Councilmember Pinto told the crowd. Pinto said. The bill calls on elections administrators to adopt a mobile voting system by Jan. 1, 2024. It also calls for designing a system that would require the establishment of an auditing system to report security threats, as well.

D.C. Mobile Voting Coalition holds a press conference with Councilmember Brooke Pinto. Photo by Alex Lawler

Earth Day doesn’t have to be a guilt trip Here are some things you can do this weekend ALEX LAWLER Editorial Intern

n Friday, April 22, organizations all around D.C. will celebrate Earth Day. Climate change, largely caused by human activity and carbon emissions in the atmosphere, has increased Earth’s average surface temperature by two degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, wreaking havoc on the planet. “Considering the urgency of this crisis, it's critical that Americans have access to information and resources so that we can all play a role in protecting our environment, our health, and vulnerable communities. " EPA administrator Michael S. Regan said in a climate change video message recorded last year. This year, many organizations are offering activities — both virtual and in-person — in pursuit of environmental protection. The Smithsonian is hosting a series of activities to celebrate Earth Day to include a number of book swaps, pop-up seed

such as gardening, starting a terrarium and doing arts-andcrafts with recycled or reused products. place on Saturday and Sunday. On Community Boathouse will also be hosting an Earth Day event: a clean up from 10 a.m. to noon For people who like to spend their time outdoors, the Friends of the National Arboretum will also be hosting a volunteer day. If you are looking for something more active, there is also an Earth Day 5k taking place on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Navy Yard. D.C. Water provides a list recommending ways families can celebrate Earth Day, and suggests

April 24, the Anacostia

Join the conversation, share your views - Have an opinion about how homelessness is being addressed in our community? - Interested in responding to what someone else has written? Street Sense Media has maintained an open submission policy since our founding. We aim to elevate voices from across the housing spectrum and foster healthy debate.

Please send submissions to opinions@streetsensemedia.org.

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DC residents celebrate Emancipation Day NICK PASION Editorial Intern

Anise Jenkins (right) and Joyce Robinson (center) said they were marching in the parade and at the celebration to advocate for D.C. statehood. D.C.'s annual Emancipation Day was celebrated for the

“As someone whose family has been here since slavery, I have to imagine what [Emancipation Day] meant as a sign for our country,” D.C. Councilmember and Mayoral candidate Robert White said in an interview with Street Sense Media. Photo by Nick Pasion.

he District commemorated the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Act, during a day-long celebration last Saturday that stoked calls for D.C. statehood. The annual event’s first in-person celebration in two years included a parade, speeches from D.C. advocates and leaders,

“In D.C., the vast majority of people who are homeless, who are incarcerated, who are in poverty, who are unemployed are

“I’m here to celebrate with my city,” Denise Jackson, 63, a lifelong District resident said in an interview with Street Sense Media. Photo by Nick Pasion.

“I want you to come out and celebrate our city because DC is open,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said at the event. “You can come to our festivals, theatres, the Wharf, the Anacostia park, you name it, it’s time to enjoy your city.” Photo by Nick Pasion.

White said in an interview with Street Sense Media at the celebration. “And I think we have to separate freedom from equality and our challenge 160 years ago was freedom. Our Some of the day’s biggest events included musical performances from popular artists like Cee Lo Green, Junk Yard Band, Crystal Waters and Slick Rick the Ruler, who took the stage to a crowd of more than 200 people who danced, sang and talked throughout the afternoon. Food trucks like District Small Bites, Latimore’s Funnel Cakes and Himalayan Soul Food parked around Freedom Plaza

to cater the event. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the celebration marks the reopening of the city after the COVID-19 pandemic. District officials dropped the mask mandate last month and have reopened indoor activities across the city, as COVID-19 cases spiked around the region. “We are so grateful to you for all of your support for sticking in there over the last two years. and doing everything we asked

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OPINION

Here’s what the Democrats must do to win in the midterm elections BY MICHAEL WARNER

If the Democrats hope to win the 2022 midterms, unlike Obama’s first-term midterm massacre in 2010, they must talk about their message. Their message is the passing of the American Rescue Plan. It saved countless businesses and individuals who were struggling due to the pandemic. People should not be so quick to forget about the stimulus checks and PPP loans they received. The Democrats should also talk about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This was a bipartisan deal, brokered by the Biden administration, that will support America’s economy, which depends on bridges and highways to allow

commerce. Furthermore, let’s not forget about the appointment and judicial nominees, which shows he’s working hard to diversify the system. Unemployment is also at a low, and Democrats must talk about that. They should also talk about the suspension of federal student loan programs and the extension of payment deferrals. It should also be noted that COVID-19 has been somewhat contained under the Biden administration. For example,

infections are down nationwide. Hospitalizations are down, too. And more Americans have received three doses of the vaccine than before. In summary, the Democrats have a lot of accomplishments, but the picture is not all rosy for them. In order to win the upcoming elections, they need to get their message out. Michael Warner is a vendor with Street Sense Media.

There’s nothing good about war BY ANTHONY CARNEY

The war between Russia and Ukraine is very sad to see. People are trying to force their will on another country. Mr. Putin is a dictator and he has killed more than 20,000 people. The buildings in Ukraine have been torn down. He has bombed some buildings that contained history. Maybe a higher power

will help. War is good for nothing. I mean nothing. Fight for your right, Ukraine. This war, it’s evil. I believe in democracy. Love will win over evil. Mr. Putin, please stop this war. I call you a pudding head.

Spread love and not hate. Love conquers all things. Anthony Carney is a vendor with Street Sense Media.

How an affordable apartment changed my life For Vicky Batcher, a regular face with and in Nashville street paper The Contributor, simply liking a Facebook page set her on a road toward a roof of her own over her head. For the latest in INSP’s ‘Housing for the People’

BY VICKY BATCHER

In the space of a weekend, my son Jason’s wife walked out, my other son Paul moved out of the RV he shared with me and in with Jason, who is also his twin.

the next day I could move in. It wasn’t until hours later I started making my list of questions, all the time knowing I didn’t care where or what it was. I was going to have a home. Monday

turned out changing my life. I liked the page of the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA), which runs Nashville’s largest housing developments, and started seeing their posts about waitlists opening up for real affordable housing, not incomerestricted affordable housing. When a property came up for the waitlist to open, I felt like a runner taking the start stance. Everything was falling into place. My sons were in housing, now it was time for myself.

up at the church parking lot that I had called home for a few months, and off we went to Hadley Park Towers in Nashville. After meeting with Erica and seeing the apartment, I felt

time and waited. I had been living in that bare-bones RV, unless I was hooked up to electricity and water, which a church sometimes allowed us to do. The parks would soon be closing,

ever camped, I felt it was a sign. Paul helped me hook up and off he went and there we were in the quiet of nature, relaxing. That next day I got a call from a number I wasn’t familiar with and hesitated to answer it. On the third ring, I thought I’d live dangerously and picked it up. I could hardly believe who was on the other end. She said her name was Erica and she was calling from MDHA. My heart just stopped. Everything came to a halt as I tried to comprehend what she was saying: “Your name

Would I get my hopes up like before when the tenant tried renting her duplex out in a scam? Or the many people who would contact me through the preceding seven years saying arrangements to meet that Monday to go over paperwork and

make the payments. Then that moment came where she handed me the keys. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. A rollercoaster of

That afternoon some friends helped with getting things out of the RV and down to my new apartment. My apartment. My affordable housing apartment! It was great, but also tough. I was moving to a city I lived near but never in. Nashville is big. anxiety. I relied on friends to drive me or if that didn’t work, I’d call Access Ride. It would normally take me two days to get over the anxiety to call Access Ride, a door-to-door service WeGo provides for the disabled. It seemed like when I moved in, I was afraid to leave the apartment except to take my dog Faith, an emotional support animal, out. Writing was now my therapy, for real. Selling The Contributor paid the rent on my apartment and other publications where I would write also paid me so I could pay up and stay ahead of the bills and anxiety. Feeling like I was put here to do more, I saw a Facebook post about needing someone with lived experience to serve on a committee and I applied. That’s one thing I could really share, and maybe make improvements and save the lives of other people experiencing homelessness. I joined the Continuum of Care Homeless Planning Council with monthly meetings, usually through Zoom due to the pandemic. When opportunities for positions

on other committees came up where I thought I could help make changes, I jumped at the chance. It was intimidating at times looking over the others that made up the council – important people, leaders in the community. Pretty soon I started opening my mouth, which probably shocked a few thinking I might be mute. I told them about the affordable housing at MDHA, I started putting myself

of peace. I’m able to pay rent, cell phone and internet bills, take care of Faith’s needs, and eat. After working with the Financial Empowerment Center, I’m learning to add to my savings account. I just signed my renewal lease on my apartment for the third year. There is one thing I can count on with affordable housing – I can always pay my rent. True affordable housing is when your rent never exceeds 30% of your income. You can always afford it. If your income changes all you do is show them in is easy – build more true affordable housing. Nashville has homelessness. Many new programs have appeared that are housing the unhoused faster than ever before. We still have a lot of work to do but we're on the right path. emotion that would take time getting used to. I was dealing with other feelings – fear, nightmares and the occasional note from the management threatening evictions if rules weren’t followed. Even though I was in compliance, that word eviction just sent chills through me. I can’t lose my apartment, I can’t. And I won’t. Courtesy of INSP North America / International Network of Street Papers.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Wizhiwood MAURICE DAVIS Artist/Vendor

Wizhiwood Build a house made of wood!

Wizhiwood

/ / 11

The way it changed his DNA JEMEL FLEMING

Wizhiwood – Go out like that!

Wizhiwood! Wizhiwood!

Wizhiwood worry bout you or what you do–

Wizhiwood!

Thank God JACKIE TURNER Artist/Vendor

Artist/Vendor

Nail polish remover has a wild scent. Too much will result in a high. A little high, as rich as rainwater. With the following ingredients: relish, goat milk, C4 energy drink, ice cream Play the lottery, and win.

Chocolate dreams DON GARDNER Artist/Vendor

My life is good – it’s learning the word of God. My life is good – it’s making and working on the thing

I want. My life is good – to care and be social with others, to teach and show young people what you know. My life is good – to be a part of the world God made, the world with so much beauty in it.

Chocolate world Filled with his gratitude and love I write this dream Because you make me feel brand new with Chocolate thrills Fills me through and through– I think heaven is you. The sweet and bitter taste of love Chocolate drinks, chocolate bars, Dripping amongst the stars Rich, smooth and creamy Comforting my soul To think of you, this way Seems all so true For there is no other treat That do me like you do You are so dark, white and delicious And greatly misunderstood But you still whisper to me Umm-umm good

VENNIE HILL Artist/Vendor

Well, I am. Now that I know I'm sick, I have nightmares all the time. I can't sleep well at night. I'm always getting up at all times of the night, just to think about how I can beat this. So, I pray and ask God to take good care of me. At least better than I've been taking care of myself. Yes, I believe in God, but I also know some people don't. I'm not here to judge, just here to tell my story. There are a Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, and plenty more. Me, myself, I'm a Baptist. I think I can love God and still do the worldly things that God says not to do. Well, nobody's perfect. Do you ever wonder if there's a heaven or a hell? Well, I don't know if there's a heaven and a hell. I know which one I'm not trying to go to. That's hell, of course. But, you know the devil gives us gifts too. He supplies you with all your worldly needs, especially when he's trying to bait you in. He gives

he makes us angry enough to want to hurt others or put ourselves in harm's way. He does all these things, and more, just so he can get you to go with him to his world. Where, I believe, it is full of hurt and pain for eternity. Nope. Don't wanna see him. My husband, on the other hand, knows all about the Bible. That's all he quotes to me, day in and day out. Sometimes it gets on my nerves, because we can be having a pretty good conversation, and he goes quoting something from the Bible or something that God said we must do. Now, remind who couldn't love a God-fearing man? Before I get off the phone with my mom, there's always a prayer at the end of our conversation. She always says, "may God keep the blood of Jesus all around you and send you home safely." But, I've always been afraid of dying, not just because I could be dying, we’re all going to have to go someday. I'm just not ready yet. I wanna have my life in order. I mean I wanna be a good church-

going lady who lives, sleeps, and dreams of God. I wanna be able to eat each meal and not forget to thank God for blessing me with it. I wanna get up in the mornings and thank God for blessing me with a brand new day that I haven't seen before. I wanna be able to not tell a lie every now and then for no reason at all. I wanna sleep at night knowing if God comes to take me, I'm going his way. Well jumping to another subject, on my way into Street Sense today, I saw that we are starting to have Alcoholic Anonymous classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which says everything to me. I asked God for his help, and he found a way to send me some. Well, today is a Wednesday, and unfortunately, I have to go sell papers, but I Well, folks, it is time for me to sign off, so as we say, stay safe and stay clean.

1 2 // S T REET SENS E ME DI A / / A P RI L 2 0 - 2 6 , 2022

ART

ANTHONY CARNEY Artist/Vendor

Poetry ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor

You taught me

I taught you that the Street Sense paper is number one. You taught me

I taught you that a little encouragement goes a long way.

ABEL PUTU Artist/Vendor

You taught me

I taught you after a year of writing for Street Sense, I can be a poet.

QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE Artist/Vendor

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Three haikus

Rain

FREDERIC JOHN

AMINA WASHINGTON

Artist/Vendor

Homily Stop the hate Ere it be too late To wage peace!

Ever Mud Why the pain? Big scow aground again Less supply chain

I am watching them – Seven leaves falling from the sky Spinning down from the tree. I see you taste them – The rain falls downward to me As I catch them all. Clutch my handkerchief,

The wallpaper falls, I see the cherry blossoms Shed a fast raindrop. As I creep to lunch,

Pink Thought Don’t play possum Behold blossom– Cherry bomb of love!

I stand with the leaf folds. Falls slowly inward Flakes of pretty papercuts. My sun rises up! I see a pattern – I make sleeping sounds.

DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

Her RONALD DUDLEY Artist/Vendor

She was jogging. I was walking. She was smiling. I was talking. She was cruisin. I was keeping up. She gave me her number, and told me to keep in touch. I called her, and we made plans. She said, are you baptized? Are you a saved man? I told her, God is good. I told her, God is great. I told her, God is early, he ain't never late. She started laughing on the telephone, She asked me, do you pray? I told her, every day. I asked her, do you go to church? She said, every Sunday. She eats taco Tuesdays, and goes to work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: yoga — TGIF on Fridays and Saturdays. She likes to hit the highway. I told her, people are resources and God is the source. She said, amen! Let’s celebrate and let's rejoice, now our eyes get to see the reward. The wicked the devil used to be life, now it’s The Passion of Christ. Most people pray for money, me I be praying for peace. I asked her, why are you single? She said, my ex liked to cheat. I told her, I can relate. We just had a spiritual date that came from the man up above, after we meditated and that's when we fell in love...thank God for yoga!

DONTÉ TURNER Artist/Vendor

// 13

1 4 // ST REET SENS E ME DI A / / A P RI L 2 0 - 2 6 , 2022

Novice Sudoku Puzzles, Volume 1, Book 2

Sudoku #7 5 8

6 3 4 9 7 8 1 4 9 2

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

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

3 7 4 2

7 1 8 5

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

Novice Sudoku Puzzles, Volume 1, Book 2

5 7

4 2 8 6

9 1 8 7 3 6

1 9

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain Sudoku #6 all of the digits 1 thru 9. If you without guesswork. 6 use 7 logic 2 you 1 can 4 solve 3 the 9 puzzle 8 5 Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. 9it to1identify 2 square 7 solve. Or use the answers page 8 the 6 next 5 3you4should Use if you really get stuck. 3 4 5 7 8 9 2 1 6 >> This crossword

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

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

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

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

3 9 5 4 2 6 1 8

puzzle’s answers: tinyurl.com/SSMcross-04-20-2022

<< LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION

1. Outline 6. Upper edge 10. Nile biters 14. Spoof 15. Uncommon 16. National League stadium 18. Airport-counter name 19. Right away 20. Doesn’t deal with 23. Looks good (with) 24. Affected, in a way 25. Polecat relatives 29. Perseverance 31. Online bidding mecca 32. Chimney coating 33. Granola bit

Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which the only specification is that it should run noiselessly.

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

Across

FUN &#2 Sudoku 8 1 GAMES 2 6 9

41. Compass pt. 42. Like a D.C. office 43. Commits a hockey infraction 45. Without a goal 51. Besides 52. Making short work of 59. Others: Lat. 60. Have the courage 61. Pie fruit 62. Burn the surface of 63. All finished 64. Didn’t reveal 65. Stevenson character 66. Drain cleaners 67. Hits the brakes

Down 1. Mild tiff 2. Luau dance 3. On 5. Interlock, as gears

6. Orthodontist’s offering 7. Great reviews 8. Eye part 9. Flat land formation 10. Distribute by type 11. Rallying cry 12. Unskilled laborers 13. Annie’s dog 21. Statement reverser 22. Blues singer Bonnie 25. Fancy party 26. Israeli diplomat 27. Gardener’s tool 28. Deli bread 29. Came down with 30. Milne creation 32. Costa del __ 33. Fairy-tale starter 34. Iron and Stone

35. Prepare the salad 37. Soviet spacecraft 38. New Deal power pgm. 39. Ashen 40. Be under the weather 44. Hit the hay 45. Makes changes in 46. -oid relative 47. Marshy ground 48. Covered with water 49. Chicago mayor 50. Greek epic 51. See eye to eye 53. Revered one 54. Annapolis athletes 55. October birthstone 56. Until 57. Aura 58. Coop residents

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

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

We rolling now

From your vendor,

LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

I’m getting situated in Hampton, Va. I was staying with Yusef when he suddenly got called out to an overseas assignment. He gave me $25 to hold me down while he was gone for about six weeks. I assess the food situation. The few canned goods aren’t going to get me there through this period, so I think fast. He has some DVDs that I decided to pawn to get through the extra stretch. I pawned all of them except one – a Muhammad Ali training DVD. It’s all I had to watch to entertain myself. That is, until I met one of the local lady ballers from the Hampton ladies squad. She told me she was from New York and she wanted to watch Muhammad with me. I was pleased. So I was doing well initially in my new space. Unfortunately for me, Yusef returned home early and didn’t understand that his $25 just didn’t cut it for me. He put me out to a strange new city. A somewhat familiar plot and plan played out once before. He didn’t understand that I got money every month from the government just like he did and that I was just pawning the DVDs, and I was going to get them right back. A move and maneuver I had implemented plenty of times while in Landover, Md., as a survival tactic. Only he didn’t take the time to listen. I had planned to return those videos. He never gave me a chance which only reinforces my theory of a set-up! I justified my point! Isn’t the military about survival? So how could he not understand? I took it as

APRIL 20 - 26, 2022 | VOLUME 19 ISSUE 22 his clever ploy to lead me away from my known home and to displace me. It was a race and fight for my life! Thus I became homeless in unfamiliar territory, meaning not D.C. I was able to navigate my way around up until where my documentary on Street Sense Media picked up. I get railroaded after picking up a temporary day job while staying in the Norfolk City Shelter on Brooke St. Quite the adventure indeed. I found an Equal Educational Opportunities office there on that city stretch of businesses in downtown Norfolk. It became my only hope and glimmer of light. Now while I didn’t complete my mission to satisfaction, I see that others have succeeded in implementing similar gameplay in which education was the key. I have always called that play my Hail Mary to myself. But a few monkey wrenches got in the way preventing it from being successful for me.

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

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

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Good Hope Rd., SE calvaryservices.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW ID (Friday 9am–12pm only) foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

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

My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

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

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

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

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

Laundry Lavandería

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

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

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

St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-333-4949 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

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

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699 1500 Galen Street SE, 1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

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

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

JOB BOARD Runner and Busser Succotash Prime // 915 F St., NW Full-time/Part-time // $20-$25 per hour // Monday-Friday, weekend availibility Succotash Prime is hiring up to 6 bussers and runners to bring food to customers and clear tables in Penn Quarter restaurant. Up to $1K hiring bonuses paid. REQUIRED: Must be able to carry up to 25 pounds, potentially up and down stairs.

APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/BusserRunner https://tinyurl.com/BusserRunner House Monitor Covenant House // 2001 Mississippi Ave SE]

Full-time/Part-time // $15.50-$16.50 per hour

// Rotating 4 days on/3 days off 8pm-8am (full-time), Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. (part-time) Engage and support youth ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness, disconnection, and exploitation. REQUIRED: High school or equivalent. APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/ CovenantHouseMonitor

Visitor Services Associate Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute // 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Part-time // $16.50 per hour // Monday to Friday Hiring two part-time Visitor Services Associates to work in the main lobby of the new Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C. In addition to receiving and directing visitors, these Associates will be expected to provide support at the Institute’s special events. REQUIRED: High school or equivalent APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/ ReaganVisitorServices

Hotel Housekeeper Washington Plaza Hotel // 10 Thomas Circle, NW

P 8-hour shifts

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

Housekeepers clean assigned rooms according to hotel standards, place and restock useable items in the rooms and maintain and restock housekeeping cart. REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/ WashPlazaHotelHousekeeper

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

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

// 15

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

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