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The Aston, an old George Washington University dorm, is up for sale, and the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) plans to use it to create a new non-congregate shelter for populations unable to be served in other D.C. shelters. The area’s advisory neighborhood commission passed a resolution in favor of turning the building into a shelter last month.
The facility will, at capacity, house 190 people in 100 units, and aims to open this fall. The shelter will aim to get residents into more permanent housing within three to five months of residing there, and is part of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s stated plans to completely eliminate homelessness in Washington, D.C. through a housing-first method.
Rachel Pierre, interim director of DHS, says that with the end of Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Individuals (PEP-V) programming, the shelter will allow for improved service delivery by DHS. DHS hopes to use recently released American Rescue Plan funds, and leverage them for future sites as well.
Area residents have mixed reactions to this news.
At a local gathering to discuss the initiative, Reginald Black, a longtime D.C. resident and activist who has also experienced homelessness said supporting this program will go “a long way to saying that the District wants to you know, end homelessness.”
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• The Equal Access Rule and Fair Housing Act both mandate fair treatment regardless of a person’s identity, when seeking housing or housing assistance in any form.
• Twenty-eight percent of LGBTQ+ youth reported homelessness or housing instability during their lives, and less than 40% of LGBTQ+ youth found their homes to be affirming, according to a study by the Trevor Project
• In 2023, over 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
affirming, according to a study by the Trevor Project, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit that provides mental health support to LGBTQ+ people. It also found that those who reported housing instability or homelessness had two to four times more likely to report mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety, self harm and suicidal ideation as compared against those with stable housing.
Understanding how a lack of stable housing can negatively impact a person, McFadden said, “HUD is committed to reaching people wherever they are and ensuring that they have the information they need to make their own choices.”
HUD is working with the Fair Housing Office on a “Know Your Rights” campaign, to inform youth of all the services that are available to them in the United States given that U.S. law requires that everyone is entitled to fair and equal access to housing.
However, in practice, many LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness continue to face a large number of barriers in accessing housing.
There are three main pathways into homelessness amongst LGBTQ+ youth, according to a academic study published in 2019. All of these pathways relate to a lack of acceptance for a young person's identity, which leads to them leaving or being kicked out of their permanent home.
Local LGBTQ+ service providers agree on how important having a safe place to call home is for young people.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on June 8 that it will launch a new campaign to support LGBTQ+ identifying youth experiencing homelessness across the United States. The program has two goals: to help youth secure housing and to combat factors which often lead to housing instability.
As part of the initiative, the agency said it will train housing and social service providers to comply with the Equal Access Rule and Fair Housing Act, which both mandate fair treatment regardless of a person's identity, when seeking housing or housing assistance in any form.
“We know we are not the experts on the topic so we are committed to creating opportunities for peer exchange for providers about what they have learned about what is working and not working and how they can implement really good protocols and policies for treating everyone with respect and ensuring that people have the dignity they deserve when dsfsdaaccessing homelessness services.” Marion McFadden, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary for community planning and development said.
The initiative highlights two points of stigma in the United States today: being unhoused and identifying as queer or LGBTQ+.
Twenty-eight percent of LGBTQ+ youth reported homelessness or housing instability during their lives, and less than 40% of LGBTQ+ youth found their homes to be
“For LGBTQ+ youth who may be leaving unsupportive homes, having their own space where they can focus on themselves, find community connections, access resources, invest in their emotional well-being, and quite literally have a place to explore their identity is life-affirming,” said Hancie Stokes, the director of communications for Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL) D.C.
Though the HUD initiative is a nationwide campaign, Angela Jones Hackely, the CEO of Covenant House Greater Washington, a local nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth, said there are a number of programs specifically designed to meet the unique needs of local youth such as its SHINE program, a low-barrier shelter launched in October 2021. It is a 90 day residential program for LGBTQ+ youth who are housing insecure or have a housing crisis and need short-term stabilization.
In 2023, over 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Seventy anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been enacted, and these include but are not limited to laws which ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and create license to discriminate.
As the United States continues to become a hostile environment for those LGBTQ+ identifying, HUD said it wants to make sure that they are current in addressing the challenges faced by real people today.
“We know that [the social climate] is changing particularly as we hear from members of the community who are struggling with their communities' consideration of new ordinances and laws,” McFadden said.
It's not easy being gay in Paraguay, let alone coming out as trans or daring to wear drag in one of the most conservative corners of the Western hemisphere.
Paraguay — paradise to the thousands of Western immigrants who make it home each year, but a struggle for many local LGBTQ+ people who say they feel ostracized living in a country that is steeped in machismo and soaked in Catholicism.
“In this society, we are invisible. There is an internalized hatred towards something different, a collective view that says if you are different, you are sick,” said Dislexia Severa, a 31-year-old drag queen, in the capital city.
Severa belongs to a small if growing scene of drag queens, transgender and gender-fluid Paraguayans, most of whom fled small farming and ranching towns for a new start in Asunción.
On a humid Saturday evening in the crumbling center of Paraguay's capital, a crowd filled the dark, narrow hallways and open courtyard of Literaity, a historic house converted into an alternative cultural center.
The guests — an eclectic group of elaborately dressed, carefully made-up LGBTQ+ locals — gathered to mark the birthday of famed Paraguayan drag queen, Envidia Metenes.
Dancing and singing, they recited indigenous Jopara poetry, and walked a makeshift runway until dawn.
Before the city stirred, the group quietly dispersed into the morning shadows of Asunción.
Aged from 14 to 62, the city's 50 or so drag queens have built a warren of safe spaces deep underground, organizing parties at bars, community theatres and in private homes.
There is no overground alternative nor any of the thriving drag scene that is found in neighboring Brazil or Argentina.
“Drag is difficult to do openly,” said Severa, describing the risks that performance can carry.
“You don't know what can happen to you in an Uber or a bus or if someone will yell at or attack you on the street.”
Violence, discrimination and disdain are routine, according to members of a tight-knit LGBTQ+ community who spoke about their fight for equality.
This makes Paraguay an anomaly in Latin America on LGBTQ+ rights, according to the Equaldex LGBTQ Equality Index, which ranks countries out of 100 in terms of full equality.
It scores Paraguay 41 out of 100, the lowest in Latin America, assessing a host of gay rights, from equal marriage to samesex adoption, while Uruguay garners 86 points and Brazil and Argentina both score 82.
It is one of the most socially conservative countries in the Western hemisphere — strongly influenced by the Catholic Church, U.S. evangelists and deep-seated machismo attitudes.
The country continues to attract thousands of right-wing immigrants from as far away as Germany every year, where it is seen as a socially conservative paradise.
Paraguay has no laws preventing gender-based discrimination in the private sector.
The mention of gender studies and homosexuality is banned
Pin public schools, and same-sex unions are not recognized.
The country's former president, Horacio Cartes, once said he would “rather shoot myself in the balls than have a gay son.”
Otherwise, life for LGBTQ+ Paraguayans feels much like it might elsewhere in the world. Dating apps flourish, Severa said.
But while the age of consent for heterosexual couples is set at 14, all gay sex is illegal under the age of 16, with violators facing penalties up to two years in jail.
The country's general election on April 30 saw the governing Colorado party return to power with 43% of the popular vote after a race fought largely on ties with China and Taiwan.
LGBTQ+ issues were absent from the campaign agendas of both front runners.
Both parties campaigned on a socially conservative platform and hold anti-gay marriage stances.
Martín Vera, executive director of Paraguayan LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Somosgay, described a political landscape that offers neither support nor opportunity for LGBTQ+ people.
“Individuals who openly assume their sexual orientation find it difficult to access decision-making positions in politics or community representatives in public spaces,” Vera said.
“Not having people who can carry our voices in those spaces leads us to lack laws guaranteeing our rights.”
Enrique Riera Escudero — the man who as education minister banned discussion of gender identity from schools said the country remained largely conservative due to its historic and cultural roots.
“LGBTQ communities have the same rights as everyone else, with limitations defined by our national constitution,” said Riera.
“‘Gender ideology’ is not accepted because in Paraguay the constitution only accepts two genders — man and woman, even though this has a broader vision in other cultures.”
For Severa, drag is a career — and an investment.
Severa's real-life alter ego, Cuco Viveros, worked for a television station before deciding to do drag full-time.
But Severa said job openings for trans people were few and far between in Asunción, and most resorted to sex work.
“The trans community is the most affected population without guaranteed access to decent work,” said Somosgay's Vera.
“They also have less access to formal education, which forces them to resort to sex work, where they are exposed to violence, alcoholism and other (risky) situations.”
The drag community sees drag as art — as well as activism.
“Drag is a political act, especially in a country as macho and homophobic as Paraguay,” Severa said.
Severa thinks more open debate will help trans people stay safe, saying marches, events and shows such as “RuPaul's Drag Race” have brought drag to a wider public.
However, Riera is against the idea of any form of public demonstration.
“The LGBTQ community should co-exist with everyone, within the framework of the law and peacefully, in my opinion, without the need to make permanent demonstrations of their condition — to avoid unnecessary confrontations,” he said.
The drag community, according to Somosgay's Vera, grew out of repression during the 35-year, singleparty, military dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner, which ended in 1989.
The dictatorship was marked by human rights crimes against political opponents and indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities, according to a number of international rights groups.
“Paraguay suffered through the longest dictatorship in Latin America, two wars and several revolutions,” said Vera.
“During the dictatorship, many were persecuted because they thought differently. The population was almost decimated.”
Liz Paola Cortaza, 62, said she was the only living trans woman who survived the dictatorship and is considered an icon.
Drag life then, she said, was “trans, gay boys and girls who cross-dressed and did drag, and came together as a community.”
As a trans woman and sex worker in this period, Cortaza said she survived police brutality — head shavings, beatings and assaults. She was arrested and jailed for being a sex worker.
Since the age of 13, Cortaza fought to change her name from Alberto to Liz, even calling a psychologist to testify at the Supreme Court that she was not crazy for claiming to be a woman.
But Cortaza said today's democratic government was at times even more discriminatory and violent, with trans people most affected.
Besides brief stints acting in the 1980s and 1990s, she has been unable to find employment beyond sex work so lives off donations. Her lot, she said, is that of most trans women.
“If you're gay, especially trans, looking for a job, employers will reject you,” she said.
According to Somosgay, LGBTQ+ communities are winning greater acceptance, mainly in Asunción, albeit slowly and way behind the pace of change in other parts of Latin America.
For now — “visibility is created by our own communities.”
“Seeing people dare to go out in a society as conservative as Paraguay, to dress as one wants — in a skirt, pants, whatever — raises a voice for those who are scared — men, women, trans,” said Severa.
Thousands across the D.C. area have lost Medicaid coverage in recent months, as pandemic protections that allowed people to stay enrolled without reapplying came to a close. Known as “Medicaid unwinding,” states are resuming annual Medicaid eligibility reviews, meaning many thousands more may lose their insurance over the next year.
Each month — depending on when they initially enrolled — a new crop of people will be prompted to renew their Medicaid or potentially lose coverage. In the coming months, patients, providers and state agencies alike are faced with the massive undertaking of getting people who have lost coverage re-enrolled and hopefully catching many more before they lose it in the first place.
“Everyone who has Medicaid across the country needs to undergo a redetermination, which currently is around 90 million people,” says Basim Khan, physician and CEO of Neighborhood Health in Northern Virginia. “Many of these people haven’t gone through a redetermination process before.”
Medicaid is a hybrid state and federal program providing health insurance to low-income residents. Eligibility varies depending on your status — whether you’re an adult, a child, pregnant, over/under 65 years old, blind, disabled, are part of a family and more. Over 280,000 D.C. residents, 1.9 million Virginia residents and 1.6 million Maryland residents were enrolled in the program in October 2022, according to KFF Health News. Typically, recipients have to renew their status every year, a process that involves submitting eligibility paperwork to prove their residence, citizenship, income status and more.
During the COVID-19 emergency, the federal government paused this process, keeping everyone insured indefinitely. But now, with the COVID state of emergency ended, localities including D.C., Maryland and Virginia are resuming manual renewals, a process that will leave thousands without any health insurance at all — including many that don’t even know it.
While some people will lose their Medicaid because of an increase in income or another life change making them no longer eligible, for many others, it will just be because they didn’t fill out the right paperwork.
Some state Medicaid agencies, including those in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, can use information they already have accessible to automatically renew applicants. Maryland, for
example, uses Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) files. But if state agencies don’t have information for automatic enrollment, they send enrollees notices and requests for information ahead of their renewal date.
So far, across D.C., Maryland and Virginia, between 15 to 30% of potentially eligible Medicaid patients are disenrolled. Maryland has disenrolled a total of 34,675 as of June 9, and 24,643 of those are because the individual didn’t submit their application on time or fully complete the renewal process.
Virginia has 53,353 “closed accounts,” but it doesn’t specify the reason they were closed. In D.C., as of June 21, about 3,000 people are disenrolled, with less than 100 due to ineligibility and about 2,900 individuals due to “procedural termination,” or forms that weren’t finished or sent. Just over a third of them are children.
“We know, based on looking at other states that are publicly reporting their data, that [D.C.’s] procedural termination rate is high. And we believe this is due in part by the fact that we in the District have the highest eligibility levels in the nation,” D.C. Department of Healthcare Finance Medicaid Director
Melissa Byrd said in a bi-weekly Medicaid renewal community meeting. That means most folks who submit for renewal will be deemed eligible, Byrd added. “Most of the folks losing coverage are for people who don’t respond.”
Local agencies across the D.C. region have implemented outreach strategies to connect with residents in need with emails, phone calls, fliers, bi-weekly informational webinars, training for local Medicaid providers and case managers and updating information on government websites. But many patients still face barriers.
“It’s a lot of people to reach who often may have changes in their living situation, have changes in their address, in their cell phone, in their family structure. There can be a variety of changes that can change our ability to reach them and can potentially change their eligibility,” says Annice Cody, CEO and President of Holy Cross Network, which provides care in
Maryland. “So it’s not that there’s a one size fits all answer for everybody that we can just automatically reach everybody and say, ‘Do these three steps and you’re done,’ it is really that individual attention that everyone needs.”
Many people have busy, complex lives making it difficult to make time or get connected to help with the redetermination process, Cody adds. Neighborhood Health provides services for many immigrants, so language is a common barrier to be mindful of, Khan says.
“The issue that we deal with a lot is literacy,” Khan says. “So even if it is in a certain language, oftentimes patients may not be able to read, or they may be able to read, but not necessarily at the level it takes to complete the form, and then oftentimes collecting the additional information can be a challenge as well.”
The burden of proof is heavily on the patient. Forms and additional documentation vary by state, but D.C.’s application is typically about 60 pages long, and only select portions are necessary for Medicaid renewals. Patients have to fill out all of their household information, immigrant status, income and tax information and more. And if they’re deemed ineligible and believe that decision was a mistake, they have to submit another form or appeal in person, by mail or over the phone.
“We know many of our patients have barriers to accessing computers or have limited knowledge of using them,” Unity Health’s Chief Operating Officer Tracy Harrison told WAMU/ DCist. “To help them, we are making team members and laptops available so patients can re-enroll with both technological and physical support from our team.”
For ineligible Medicaid patients, they may be directed to alternative coverage options, like D.C.’s HealthCare Alliance program. To qualify, patients have to provide proof of state residence, income and assets information and a Social Security card or Alien Number if they have a green card. Patients also have to have a face-to-face interview every six months for continued eligibility.
In the D.C. region, uncovered Medicaid patients may still be able to seek care while they’re trying to re-enroll. Each state has its own version of a grace period or retroactive period. In D.C., a 90-day grace period allows patients to have extra time to submit renewal materials after they’ve missed their deadline, and if they’re found eligible, medical expenses incurred in that period will be covered retroactively, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Health Care Finance.
But after 90 days, they have to submit a completely new and much longer Medicaid application to re-enroll. Maryland has a 120-day reconsideration period which allows eligible patients to renew and have their coverage reinstated to the day it was disenrolled.
Khan says that in Virginia, disenrolled patients can also get retroactive coverage for medical expenses they incur within 90 days after their Medicaid expires, but that gap in coverage can still be discouraging. Patients may not be able to make certain appointments without insurance, or they may receive an unexpected bill in the mail because they didn’t have coverage during a certain period, according to Khan.
Even with the grace period, the time when patients are waiting to hear back on their application can create gaps. In D.C., the process is supposed to take 45 days (90 days if the agency has to determine if the applicant is disabled), a spokesperson for D.C. Healthcare Finance said at a question and answer session about Medicaid renewal on June 21. But with higher volumes, it could take longer.
“Even if the coverage was going to come later or it was going to be retroactive, all of those things can be a disincentive for people to seek care,” Khan says. “They might have to pay a
large out-of-pocket expense for a medicine or not be able to pick up a medicine, or their care can be interrupted.”
Even short-term gaps in coverage can have significant consequences and exacerbate existing disparities in care. The majority of non-elderly (under 65) Medicaid enrollees are people of color in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, according to data from KFF Health News. Gaps can put residents at risk for incurring medical debt, which falls hardest on D.C.’s Black residents, who are three times more likely than white residents to have medical debt.
Although annual renewal was always required with Medicaid, the changes in coverage brought on by the pandemic reprieve can be confusing to patients, Khan says. Even under normal circumstances with established programs supporting them, it can still be hard for them to get the medicine and care they need, he adds.
“I see patients so many times come to me saying, ‘I did not start taking this medicine because it wasn’t covered,’ or ‘I went to the pharmacy, and it wasn’t covered. This is really critical. So I paid a large amount out of pocket, and I had to borrow from someone else to be able to pay for this medicine,’” Khan says. “Those types of stories happen all the time, even under regular circumstances. So you can imagine a situation where someone has lost their Medicaid coverage.”
Khan anticipates plenty of disruptions of care throughout this redetermination/renewal process and emphasizes the importance of Neighborhood Health’s efforts to ensure consistent coverage for all patients. Other health care providers point out that there are care consequences for lapses in any kind of insurance coverage, from Medicaid to commercial insurance.
“During the pandemic, when no one was being removed from the rolls, that was good for people,” says Cody, Holy Cross’ CEO. “More people had insurance because each year when people have to reenroll, there are things that happen for a variety of reasons, and people who are eligible one day become ineligible the next day.”
That is disadvantageous for patients, communities at-large and also providers — who want to know who their payer source is, Cody adds. So health care providers and social services across the region are making efforts to inform and support patients to overcome application barriers and avoid the consequences of lapsed coverage.
Every state is handling Medicaid redetermination differently, so patients should check resources in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. for specific information and support. Health care providers and state agencies alike also advise affected patients to keep an eye on their mail, update their addresses, look out for applications and for extra assistance, connect with social services.
“We know that applications submitted with assistance from the social services team have had lower rates of rejection, and our ongoing partnership with the Ombudsman Office has supported improved processing time for applications,” Harrison, of Unity Health tells WAMU/DCist.
And even for patients not impacted by Medicaid directly, Cody says insurance coverage for all can help to alleviate an already stressed, short-staffed health care system.
“We are all better off if more people are insured,” says Cody. “If more people are able to get the care that they need in a timely manner, that doesn’t lead to delays, which often lead to exacerbation.”
This story was originally published by DCist/WAMU.
GABRIELA FERREIRA REITZ Editorial Intern
Wendy Chan and Vanda Berninger left their respective home countries of China and Croatia in 1989 and 1991 to escape the calamitous effects of war near their homes. Today, both women call Washington, D.C. home and are working together to raise awareness of the global refugee crisis, including through the One Journey Festival, held this June.
Six years ago, Chan reached out to District-area organizations and community leaders to figure out how she could help local refugees. She found that while there were various support programs, there was no platform for refugees to tell their stories and highlight their contributions. So she and Berninger decided to make one.
Broadly, One Journey is a movement celebrating refugees and sharing their experiences through what Chan referred to as the “common languages of humanity” — music, dance, art, storytelling, technology and food. One Journey hosts events throughout the year, including the organization’s signature festival.
A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country due to war, persecution or natural disaster. According to Doctors Without Borders, there are 100 million refugees
around the world. Refugees often continue to face struggles in their new homes, including a lack of clean water, shelter and healthcare. The D.C. area specifically has seen an influx of refugees following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. According to NPR, thousands of refugees arrived in the DMV in 2021. Over the last year, D.C.’s also become home to a number of forced migrants from Latin American countries bussed to the city by Republican governors.
On June 24, the One Journey Festival spread across the Washington National Cathedral lawn. Vendors set up in rows, forming the Global Market where immigrants from around the world sold items representative of their heritage and homes. Vendors at the “From Egypt With Love” stand sold sterling silver jewelry and mother-of-pearl boxes that shimmered in the morning sun. Across the aisle, Will Salha from WillS Art sold colorful paintings inspired by his home country of Lebanon. According to One Journey, everything sold in the Global Market directly supports refugees living in the DMV area, who keep the profits from anything they sell.
On the Main Stage, with the National Cathedral in the background, performers played music, danced and told stories. Kabul Dreams, an Afghan rock band, performed in the midafternoon. An all-female drum band, Batalá Washington, introduced the crowd to Brazil’s dynamic Afro-Bahian culture
and Samba Reggae music. At the Community Poem Station, attendees worked together to create a poem reflecting the festival’s message that, while each person may have their own path, everyone is on the same journey.
The festival also highlighted the work of community organizations supporting local refugees. One such organization, Homes Not Borders, provides refugees and other forced migrants with furnishings to establish comfortable and welcoming homes in the United States. According to Homes Not Borders, with the help, refugee families save $3,200 that they otherwise would have needed to spend on items like couches, rugs and appliances. “We’re friends with One Journey,” Laura Thompson Osuri, the executive director of Homes Not Borders explains, “because we share the same mission of supporting refugees.”
Chan believes that as One Journey highlights organizations that help refugees, it helps people get involved and create change. “We’re all tiny people making tiny pushes here and there, trying to build an inclusive and loving country,” she said. “If we all keep pushing, we’ll make a better place.”
Editor’s Note: Laura Thompson Osuri is a Street Sense co-founder.
Editor’s note: is is part of a onoing series of columns that we hope will advance meaningful conversations centered around homelessness and poverty in D.C. We are actively soliciting government leaders, o cials and other leaders working in this space to participate. If you have a question you would like to pose to a councilmember or city o cial, please send it along.
You asked:
housing units with a mission of creating a more inclusive community while combating displacement. To give you a sense of how Douglass CLT preserves housing affordability, they are currently selling one of their housing units that has an appraised value of $790,000 for $460,000. Additionally, many of the families that live in the 233 units make between $30,000 and $80,000 per year. By acquiring valuable land in the District and then offering it at significantly reduced rates, the Douglass CLT demonstrates how CLTs can help make housing affordable.
CLTs offer benefits beyond housing. They can also lease land to businesses and establish parks and recreation centers.
both the land and their home for maximum equity, while others may not wish — or be able — to participate in the collaborative decision-making process common in CLTs. In the District, a major challenge for CLTs is the limited availability of land. CLTs have the most impact when they can operate on a larger scale, extending beyond individual homes or apartment buildings to encompass the development of whole communities. The aim is to create a vibrant mix of homes, businesses, apartments, and parks within the CLT framework.
Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are a tool in our toolbox of ways to provide affordable housing. These nonprofit organizations buy land at market rates and offer affordable housing options through leasing and homeownership programs. Unlike other affordable housing models, the CLT owns the land and limits how much homeowners can sell their homes for.
Here in the District, the work of the Douglass Community Land Trust (Douglass CLT) is an example of how CLTs provide affordable housing. Douglass CLT manages 233 affordable
AIDA PERRY
What is our government doing about Canada’s wildfires? The Republicans and Democrats need to get their priorities straight when it comes to the pollution and our air quality caused by the hundreds of active Canadian fires that are out of control.
People like myself that have respiratory issues are forced to either stay at home or have to wear a mask. The Republicans
A notable historical example is New Communities in rural Georgia, widely recognized as the first CLT. Established in 1969, it encompassed a 6,000-acre farm collective owned by Black farmers. This remarkable initiative represented the largest tract of Black-owned farmland in the United States at the time. In an era of displacement driven by racism, New Communities provided a safe haven for Black people, offering collectively owned and operated land where approximately a dozen farmers cultivated the land and shared in its economic gains from 1969 to 1985.
Despite their benefits, CLTs do face challenges. One is coordinating many groups of people — residents, local government and other stakeholders — for their setup and management. CLTs are typically governed by a board of people with extensive knowledge in housing, residents of CLT properties and active community members. Another challenge for the CLT model is that some homeowners prefer owning
As chair of the D.C. Council’s Committee on Housing, I am reviewing a bill introduced by At-large Councilmember Christina Henderson called the Community Land Trusts’ Access and Homeowner Support Amendment Act of 2023, which would help create CLTs in the District. One key provision of the bill is giving priority to CLTs in bidding on property tax sales before they become available to the public, so CLTs could potentially acquire the property at a lower cost. A property tax sale occurs when a property is sold by the government to recover unpaid property taxes and can lead to properties being sold at lower prices than their market value. My Housing Committee team and I are working with community members and representatives from CLTs to further develop the bill. Our objective is to enhance the legacy of CLTs by empowering Black individuals and providing more affordable housing.
need to address these issues with Canada immediately! Just because elected officials don’t have respiratory issues, it doesn’t mean they won’t have it in the near future. A human body can only take so much abuse from pollutants.
Further, the GOP needs to stop worrying about Trump’s espionage trial, unless they too are guilty of the same espionage. Instead, they should focus more on what to do about our air quality. People living in the Midwest to people on East Coast and some parts of North Carolina are being affected by Canada’s wildfires. Healthy people are complaining about their chests hurting or saying that they can’t breathe at all.
What is Congress doing about this situation? It’s a serious health issue that’s affecting everybody. And it’s not just affecting people with respiratory issues.
While lawmakers love to talk about cutting our health
insurance, raising the prices of our medication and cutting our Social Security. They don’t care about us as long as they get their pockets fat with pharmaceutical companies, they seem to forget about what’s most important – the people they’re supposed to be representing.
I look at the local news every morning. There’s never anthing about Biden or the Republicans doing something meaningful to help our air quality.
Aida Peery is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.
“What is the role of Community Land Trusts in maintaining and creating affordable housing?”
Where
LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor
So I’ve told you about some of my years of struggle, but let me go back even further and give you a bit of my background story, before the years I took off, laid back and took it easy. Before that, I aspired to be a disc jockey. Even from my childhood years, I would make cassette tapes of my mother’s 45 singles and put them in chronological order, to tell a story of sorts, much like I’ve heard Russ Parr do in his commercial segments.
I was constantly around music. I remember my brother listening to Donnie Simpson and slow jams, singing them out loud. I guess it kind of stuck with me because by the time I hit middle school. We were in Maryland by then, and I was asked to write a paper about my life, my likes, and my hopes, dreams, desires and aspirations for the future. I came up with becoming a disc jockey someday. Well, I got an A+ on the paper and more years went by.
It wasn’t until the eleventh grade that I actually made steps towards the profession academically by enrolling in my high school’s TV production class. Outside of school, I was listening to the radio to the point that I couldn’t sleep without it. I guess I was like almost every other teen, recording songs off of the radio and all. My biggest influence at that time was the “gangsta rapper” Ice T. He visited the local record store in our neighborhood called The Marlow Heights Wiz! I mean, I didn’t actually get to “meet” him but I was in the next aisle as he strolled in and walked down to his destination at the autograph signing table. At the time, all I could think to myself was “Oh, that guy is short,” but it felt great just to be in his presence as he made his entrance. This was the time of his
The world of the eternal, The world of the damned. To know eternity, to know light
And all its beauty. I like to see it, I love to love. When we tell, it keeps us alive. Blood. Blood is love. God loves us all.
To be eternal, To walk in the light. To talk with her all day And let her know that one is here. Eternal life, The feeling to know what happens here Can never be unmasked.
To understand love is a pleasure, To go through love is an honor, To understand a vampire’s kiss. One honors us by giving us life. Eternity — That feeling when it’s over, It’s never over.
hit “Colors” and the movie by the same title. I was a big fan and I’m sure he couldn’t miss my big smile cheesing as he passed by, but I didn’t do lines, so I didn’t stay.
Back to school though. My accounting teacher couldn’t understand why I wasn’t signing back up immediately for the second year of his course, especially when I made A’s, but it was my calling! Oh, I forgot to mention my mother was working for the Federal Communications Commission so it was bred in me as well without me really realizing it. TV production was a good experience but it didn’t really go anywhere for me. We had a field trip to be on “Teen Summit” but I missed out on it for the very same reason I never played after school sports. No transportation and no support!
I did get to meet Prince Dejour a few years later at FreakNik in Atlanta though, and had a sighting of Chilli of TLC. In between that, I managed to enroll in South Carolina State University and on my way down there for the first time, I met DJ Shakim, who would later on become the deejay for Bow Wow, and is now currently for New Edition. I noticed him carrying some 12 inch vinyl records, and it prompted me to ask him about it. Come to find out we were both headed to the same place. I was just a semester late, in the spring, but he pointed me in the right direction once we arrived, and I immediately enrolled in radio broadcasting, and bonded with the rest of the “Up North” guys.
After establishing myself, I took on my internship there, first as a board operator, then as an on-air personality known as Big City Joe. I was on for about an hour maybe every other day, on WSSB. Since I could never get there in time for a work study position, I would sit out a semester and return in the spring. It became a pattern for me.
One off semester while working as a post office casual,
I ended up working with a drummer named Jammin Jeff, of Northeast Groovers fame. After connecting with Jeff as a coworker I soon began selling go-go tapes, and receiving shoutouts under my newly assigned alias of NowLATER Joe. I also took my broadcasting name from Jeff too. He was always using the term “Big City.” It was also a major jam for Little Benny. “Big City Groove!” One of my favorites!
So after my time spent down south in school, I returned home to my newly created family, and tried to find work in my field. That’s when I met Albie Dee down Haines Point with Craig Black. I met Michel Wright at the Albert Wynn Job Fair. I ended up taking a volunteer position with Wired For Sound Records as their marketing assistant, due to all of my accumulated contacts.
Soon, I returned to school up at the University of the District of Columbia, where I got to meet Candy Shannon of Music Video Connection fame. That was back in 1996, when D.C. was experiencing its financial crisis, and UDC was threatened to close and shut down. But we brought it back! I didn’t really get back into the business outside of my own personal projects of rap groups, and poetry books until about 2000 when I worked for Atlantic Valet. This job put me in a position to meet not only Cokie Roberts, but Tracey Neale as well.
I was then offered a position with National Events doing sound production for Stone Soul Picnic acts here and in Baltimore. We also did the Redeem The Dream event on the Mall. So that’s the first half of my life story and origins. Now I’m involved currently with Street Sense, and Tough Struggle and still applying myself to my personal project of creating my poetry, books and music of course!
The beginning, the end, It never ends.
It’s never the same with us Because love, blood, to feel, To know God’s blessing. The vampire’s kiss. Our souls sing a song. Blood is blood.
Love is love.
God is always there.
Hawaiian, Native American, Japanese, Latinos, We are all children of God. We are all loved with purity. A vampire’s kiss — A blessing in itself.
ABEL PUTU Artist/VendorI’ve received a lot of compliments on the photography book I helped produce. My work is featured in it. I’m excited to give the book to my family. The photos tell my story — everywhere I slept when I was sleeping outside. Sleeping on the street is tough.
It was all very complicated. When I was on the street, my stuff would get stolen, but I was tough. The tires on my wheelchair were even stolen once.
I want NBA players to buy the book and learn about my story.
I am starting a new life in 2023.
NIKILA SMITH Artist/Vendor
The one I love has diagnosed me
As being tripolar. Please talk to me.
Are my feelings tripolar? You make me feel like they are.
I’ve been told all my life I’m emotional. Or is it you?
I'm starting to question
Am I tripolar?
Today you look at me
Like I mean everything to you.
Even your touch is seductive, Not stale.
That makes me feel like a corpse. That feeling was so yesterday. Today I’m trying to figure out, Are you Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
You make my feelings tripolar. Why do I feel lonely and unloved?
Why are you so angry?
Maybe I talk too much.
But you’re angry when I talk too little. It seems like you’re tripolar. I pretend something is in my eyes.
I fake yawning.
I feel something inside me, Fighting to come out. I try to push it back down. Which will win?
My emotions or willpower?
The wall in this dam is cracked, The water starts To shoot out after a while.
I try to seal it.
But the water has to stop when it’s ready.
Oh no, you’re crying again. Why don’t you just man up? Stop being so girly!
I'm confused.
So men don’t cry?
Could it be when You gave me half your rib.
You’re the reason why I cry So much.
Maybe you’re weak.
I said it before, I think a lot. Talk a lot.
And write a lot.
Where are people going? People all over the world. People walk outside. What do people do all day long?
They work. They go out town. They go out to eat. They go on a date. They stay home to clean. They go to the store. They live.
Artist/Vendor
Resurrection Baptist, my congregation in Southeast, went to visit a church in Virginia, my home state. It was a small church with a separate dining room. The people there were so friendly.
Their food was so delicious. I can remember all of it five years later! Fried chicken. Pot roast. Fresh vegetables like kale and green beans seasoned with onions, just the way I like it. Cabbage. Potato salad to die for. So much food you
MARS
Artist/Vendor
Path comes from the Greek word pathos, which means feeling or suffering. If you’ve ever seen someone dealing with death, or the loss of a loved one, you can simply say, “Sorry for your loss.” That is my go-to phrase. Can you think of one?
DOMINIQUE ANTHONY
Artist/Vendor
couldn’t get all of it on your plate. Then the cakes and pies you wanted to savor forever. The big sisters in the kitchen really cooked it up. And they couldn’t wait to show me. “C’mon in, girl!”
That’s what I call a supper to remember. Hometown in God’s house.
My name is Dominique Anthony. I was diagnosed with HIV at Howard University Hospital. My CD4 white blood cell count was low, and I was sick with different kinds of infections. I was in the hospital for two weeks. I felt alone and afraid to come out and tell my family and friends what I was living with. At the time I only had one son named Micah, and he used to visit me in the hospital. He would say, “Mommy, it’s going to be okay. You are going to see me become a grown up and I will be off to college.” He loves me.
That was back in 2008. Micah is now 21 and a freshman at the University of Maryland. He’s working two jobs this summer. He’s now a young man. I am so proud of him. I love him so much. HIV taught me how to live my life better and take care of myself more. I have lived to be 42 with HIV. I never thought I would see Micah go off to college. God has kept me here all these years. If it wasn’t for the group called The Women’s Collective, I would not be here. I am so proud of my son, and I love seeing him becoming a young man and going to college.
My name is Daniel, and Sybil and I have been dating for about seven years now. So, Daniel, do you have a job now? Yes I do, because I work for Street Sense selling my papers for at least seven years on 19th St. NW.
So Daniel, what are your parents names? Their names are Ernest and Elaine Ball. When me and Sybil met, yes, it was love at first sight. The only book I like to read is my Bible. Please read John 3:16.
In the shadows of a heart's retreat, Where dreams dissolve and hopes entreat, There lies a tale of love untold, Of a homeless heart, so pure and bold.
In streets adorned with starlit skies, Two souls unite, where destiny lies, A bond unbroken, against the tide, Their love, a beacon, cannot hide. Homelessness, a burden worn, Yet love's embrace, their spirits borne, In the darkest night, a flicker's glow, They find solace in each other's woe. Their shelter, not in brick or stone, But in the warmth, their hearts have known, For love, it knows no walls or doors, It dwells within, forevermore. With tattered clothes and weary eyes, They seek refuge beneath moonlit skies, Their laughter echoes through empty streets, As they dance to life's symphony, so sweet. No grand abode, no lavish domain, Can match the love that they sustain, For in each other's arms, they find, A sanctuary, one of a kind.
Through rain-soaked nights and bitter cold, They brave the storms, their spirits bold, Their love, a fortress, unbreakable, Against the world, they stand unshakable. And though they lack material wealth, Their love, a treasure, beyond all else, In each stolen moment, they are rich, For love, it knows no price or pitch. For what is home, but where love resides, In tender whispers and gentle strides, In laughter shared and tears embraced, Their love, a refuge, cannot be erased. So let us not judge by circumstance, The love that blooms in a transient dance, For in the heart, true home resides, A shelter where love forever abides.
An ocean of sparkling light fills the blue-green waves of deep that roar in the earliest of mornings and until the latest of nights. To some of us, it’s cool to dive into the depth of darkness and press through toward the light. It’s another world down here, a deep array of colors we swim in with delight.
In the middle of this water, green sea turtles swim elegantly on their journeys to give birth on shore. Blue whales do long trails to reach cooler waters in summer. All these animals are remarkably intelligent and they all swim gracefully. Some are friendlier than other members of their families.
We have the playful dolphins that love to surf above the water and make themselves seen. They do incredible acrobatic flips way up in the air. The dolphins also protect and guide other sea creatures that rely on them for safety.
Then we have the clean-up crew: shrimp, crabs, scallops, catfish, oysters and mussels. These animals make sure the waters are well-kept after the bigger creatures finish eating. And don’t forget about the fish with sharp teeth and large fins. Right: the shark! It eats lots of sea animals. When it goes away other acrobatic sea spinners — seals and sea lions — appear to play and feed themselves.
The oceans’ floors are filled with colorful creatures that look like pretty things we can’t recognize. Some look like rocks. Others are fluffy pink, aqua, violet, purple things that are interesting to look at but not to touch.
JEFFREY CARTER Artist/Vendor
Vacation means a lot to me because it means I get a break from work to relax my mind and body and get some rest. Without a vacation, I wouldn’t have a job because I couldn’t cope with working a job. Plus I get to go fishing, hunting and travel across the sea.
LATICIA BROCK
Artist/Vendor
The love that I’m able to possess in the streets was that agape love that my Mom Dukes showed to me. That woman can take a pot of chicken and rice and feed a whole block, even in and out of jail with me when I was on lock. Remembering having old-fashioned card parties to make the rent due, taking care of a family of 20 with the scraps that were given to you. Those nights of feeding my belly first before she fed hers. She even changed her life and attended Kaiser Permanente and became a nurse.
It’s not an easy job being a mother with no dad around, but Ernestine Brock did it and is still doing it hands-down. So take this poetic flower and give my mama her rose while she can smell it. Mama, I want to make you proud while you can still inhale it.
Artist/Vendor
I love playing chess every week, day or night. I play with different people from different countries and I love it. I get to show off my skills with older and younger players from around the world. Hopefully, I’ll get to play more professional players. I have been beaten at state championships before. I love it when I play chess outside, it makes me feel like Superman. Playing chess indoors or outside is great for me. When I play against the Sicilian Defense I win every time and it gives me so much pleasure, a jump-up and-down feeling. I hope someday I get to play for prize money in a big tournament in Washington, D.C. Playing the Fried Liver Attack is awesome, it makes me feel superb and the play is great for all ages. I have a mixed style of play. Chess makes me feel great when I lose badly because it makes me greater. Chess is a way of life to me.
Across
1. Baseball icon Ruth, familiarly
5. ____ one’s bets (limit your level of risk)
10. Bible pronoun that often precedes “... shalt not...”
14. Seed coat
15. Sky-blue shade
16. Deeply absorbed
17. One who relapses into former bad ways, or strays from their professed faith
19. Put “stet” on a document
20. Hog haven
21. Follower of Christ and Faust?
22. It’s bordered by New Hampshire, Canada and the Atlantic
23. Electronics device that divides and multiplies signal routes (2 wds.) (5,8) (PARTICLE BELTS anagram)
28. Healing ointments
30. Something a significant other may or may not be
31. “Cast-of-thousands,” “years-in-themaking”- type film
32. Requested (2 wds.) (5,3)
36. This end to Christmas is a surefire start to snowfall
37. Athletic position most closely associated with the ends of 17-, 23-. 47- and 57-Across?
40. Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist (abbr./initialism)
41. One who makes it back
43. Told tall stories, in street vernacular involving an initialism
44. Roman orator or a Chicago suburb once associated with mobsters
46. Airheaded
47. 2019 Tyler Childers’ song about the opioid epidemic (2 wds.) (8,5) (or Jan & Dean’s 1964 ‘teen tragedy’ hit with the same title))
51. Longer of two bones in human forearms (Lat. pl. ending)
52. Palindromic poetic preposition
53. “Treasure Island” author’s inits.
56. Actor Schreiber who played Ray Donovan in Showtime’s 2013-2020 series
57. Weighty item at the business end of a fishing line (2 wds.) (4,6) (INK DEALERS anagram)
61. Blonde bombshell Anderson of “WKRP in Cincinnati,” among others
62. Yemen’s capital
63. Slave girl of a Verdi opera set in Egypt
64. Benchmarks (abbr.)
65. Musician behind Beats headphones (2,3)
66. Blackberries, e.g.
Down
1. Songstress Streisand, to friends
2. “I smell ____” (2 wds.) (1,3)
3. Apt description of every Tour de France competitor?
4. Caribou kin
5. Kosher : Judaism :: ____ : Islam
6. On-line mags (1-5) (Incls. abbr.)
7. A firework that fizzles and dies, e.g.
8. Coll. senior’s test (abbr./initialism)
9. Ending for musket or Mousket?
10. Said “It’s on me”
11. “No more! I’ve ___ up to here!” (2 wds.) 3,2)
12. Offer one’s two cents (on)
13. Verbalize, as a word or sound
18. The parents of our nieces and nephews, briefly
22. Hardly a spendthrift
24. Letters for an old auto mfr., a cable TV channel or a movie theater chain (abbr./initialism)
25. Orthodontic inserts (SCRAPES anagram)
26. Fancy-schmancy
27. Sainted disciple of Christ who was a physician
28. Item found in bars that has a head and hops?
29. Cathedral area
33. In a way, though she was raised by her birth parents, actress/filmmaker Jodie was still a ____ (2 wds.) (6,3)
34. Loads from lodes
35. Trump mouthpiece Giuliani
37. Amazon benefits subscription service
38. Member of a bygone empire
39. Adolescent
42. West coast sch. with an annual event featuring a Chem. Dept. magic show and the “Doxie Derby” (dachshund race) (2 wds.)
(2,5) (incls. abbr.)
43. Roy G. ____ (Mnemonic name used for recalling rainbow hues)
45. Big name in brooms and mops
46. Eins, zwei, ___... (Ger.)
47. Makes less sharp, as a blade
48. Poet T. S. ___
49. What “All good things must come to...” in an oft-heard proverb(2 wds.) (2,3)
50. Bears, to Brutus (Lat. pl. ending)
54. Yates’s “____ and the Swan” (DALE anagram)
55. Spanish mmes. (abbr.)
57. It was dropped in the 60’s
58. Ring bearer, maybe
59. “Then what?”
60. North of the border siesta
*This crossword puzzle is the original work of Patrick “Mac”McIntyre. It is provided to us courtesy of Real Change News, a street paper based in Seattle, Wa. Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.
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
Catholic Charities // 202-772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp
Central Union Mission // 202-745-7118 65 Massachusetts Ave., NW missiondc.org
Charlie’s Place // 202-232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org
Christ House // 202-328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd., NW christhouse.org
Church of the Pilgrims // 202-387-6612 2201 P St., NW food (1-1:30 on Sundays only) churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach
Community Family Life Services 202-347-0511 // 305 E St., NW cflsdc.org
Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org
Covenant House Washington 202-610-9600 // 2001 Mississippi Ave., SE covenanthousedc.org
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
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
Georgetown Ministry Center // 202-338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW georgetownministrycenter.org
Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd St., NW jobshavepriority.org
Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 Newton St., NW loavesandfishesdc.org
Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Road SE
2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE
Miriam’s Kitchen // 202-452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave., NW miriamskitchen.org
My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org
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
Patricia Handy Place for Women 202-733-5378 // 810 5th St., NW
Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org
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
Housekeeper
Courtyard/Residence Inn Washington // 901 L St. NW
Full-time
Clean and maintain guests’ rooms. Make beds, replenish linens, clean rooms and halls and vaccuum.
Required: N/A
Apply: tinyurl.com/hotel-housekeeper
Housekeeping Aide
Homewood Suites // 1475 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Full-time
Clean and maintain building and facillities. Provide linen supplies, stock floor closets, deliver and retrieve items.
Required: N/A
Apply: tinyurl.com/hotel-housekeeping-aide
Cleaner
C&W Services // Washington D.C. (Location TBD)
Full-time
Perform custodial duties such as sweeping, mopping, dusting, vaccuming and taking out the trash.
Required: N/A
Apply: tinyurl.com/w-cleaner
The Welcome Table // 202-347-2635 1317 G St., NW. epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable
Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org
Hiring? Send your job postings to editor@StreetSenseMedia.org For further information and listings, visit our online service guide at StreetSenseMedia.org/service-guide
An original play with music created by members of the Theatre Workshop
July 27 at 4:30 p.m. at Planet Word 925 13th St NW, Washington D.C. 20005
How much space does a human being need to live with dignity and security? Through music and spoken word, No Place to Call Home challenges us to answer this question.
Immediately following the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a short talk-back with the writer/performers and workshop directors.
