VOL. 19 ISSUE 35
$2
JULY 20 - 26, 2022
Real Stories
DC made a historic housing investment. Here’s how it’s going
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
@ STREETSENSEDC
Real People
suggested donation goes directly to your vendor
Real Change
2 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2022 © STREET SENSE MEDIA 2003 - 2022
BUSINESS MODEL
1317 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347 - 2006 streetsensemedia.org info@streetsensemedia.org
How It Works
Street Sense Media publishes the newspaper
Each vendor functions as an independent contractor for Street Sense Media, managing their own business to earn an income and increase stability in their life.
$2.00
YOUR SUGGESTED
$.50 Vendors pay
DONATION
per newspaper copy
goes directly to your vendor, empowering them to overcome homelessness and poverty
VENDORS Abel Putu, Abraham Aly, Aida Peery, Amina Washington, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Anthony Pratt, Archie Thomas, August Mallory, Betty Everett, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Carlos Carolina, Carol Motley, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Chris Sellman, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders, Cortney Signor, Daniel Ball, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Don Gardner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Eric Thompson-Bey, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Fredrick Jewell, Gerald Anderson, Gracias Garcias, Henry Johnson, Ivory Wilson, Jacqueline “Jackie” Turner, Jacquelyn Portee, James Davis, Jeanette Richardson, Jeff Taylor, Jeffery McNeil, Jeffrey Carter, Jemel Fleming, Jenkins Daltton, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jermale McKnight, Jet Flegette, Jewel Lewis, John Littlejohn, Joshua Faison, Juliene Kengnie, Justin Blakey, Katrina Arninge, Kenneth Middleton, Khadijah Chapman, Kym Parker, Laura Smith, Lawrence Autry, Levester Green, Malcolm Scott Jr, Marcus McCall, Mark Jones, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Michael Warner, Michele Rochon, Mildred M. Hall, Morgan Jones, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Redbook Mango, Reggie Jones, Reginald Black, Reginald C. Denny, Ricardo Meriedy, Rita Sauls, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, Sasha Williams, Shawon McCrary, Sheila White, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Susan Westmoreland, Susan Wilshusen, Sybil Taylor, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mary Coller Albert, Blake Androff, Jonquilyn Hill, Greg Jaffe, Stanley Keeve, Clare Krupin, Ashley McMaster, Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
NO CASH? NO PROBLEM.
Brian Carome
Pay vendors with the Street Sense Media app! S earch “S treet S ense ” in your app store .
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Doris Warrell
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
AVA I L A B L E
CASE MANAGER
Leo Grayburn
VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT
DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT
As self-employed contractors, our vendors follow a code of conduct. 1.
2.
Darick Brown
I will support Street Sense Media’s mission statement and in so doing will work to support the Street Sense Media community and uphold its values of honesty, respect, support, and opportunity. I will treat all others, including customers, staff, volunteers, and fellow vendors, respectfully at all times. I will refrain from threatening others, pressuring customers into making donations, or engaging in behavior that condones racism, sexism, classism, or other prejudices.
3.
I understand that I am not an employee of Street Sense Media but an independent contractor.
4.
While distributing the Street Sense newspaper, I will not ask for more than $2 per issue or solicit donations by any other means.
5.
I will only purchase the newspaper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not distribute newspapers to other vendors.
Thomas Ratliff
VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES
6.
“I will not distribute copies of “Street Sense” on metro trains and buses or on private property.”
Aida Peery, Clifford Samuels
7.
I will abide by the Street Sense Media Vendor Territory Policy at all times and will resolve any related disputes with other vendors in a professional manner.
Jeff Barger, Haley Gallagher, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Kevin Jaatinen, Jacob Kuba, Eva Reeves, Mauricio Reyes
8.
I will not sell additional goods or products while distributing “Street Sense.”
Maria Lares
9.
I will not distribute “Street Sense” under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Will Schick
10. I understand that my badge and vest are property of Street Sense Media and will not deface them. I will present my badge when purchasing “Street Sense” and will always display my badge when distributing “Street Sense.”
VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS
MANAGER OF ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DEPUTY EDITOR
Kaela Roeder
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Athiyah Azeem
ACCOUNTABILITY/STAFF REPORTER
Annemarie Cuccia
MICHAEL STOOPS FELLOW
INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR? New vendor training: every Tuesday and Thursday // 2 p.m. // 1317 G St., NW
Jasper Smith
The Cover
Atmika Iyer, Hannah Loder, Holly Rusch, Hope Davis, Ingrid Holmquist, Riley Nee
INTERNS
A “for rent” sign and a fence bars entry to a home. DESIGN MADE IN CANVA
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 who work with us do much more than sell this paper: They use film, photography, 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. At Street Sense Media, we define ourselves through our work, talents, and character, not through our housing situation.
ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Ariane Mohseni (Film), Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Lalita Clozel (Film), Willie Schatz (Writing)
ARTS EDITOR (VOLUNTEER)
Austine Model
OPINION EDITORS (VOLUNTEER)
Rebecca Koenig, Emily Kopp, Lydia DePillis, Bill Meincke, Ben Shimkus, Candace Montague, Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Orion Donovan-Smith
EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS
Josh Axelrod, Ryan Bacic, Katie Bemb, Lilah Burke, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Lenika Cruz, Alison Henry, Kathryn Owens, Nick Shedd, Andrew Siddons, Jenny-lin Smith, Rebecca Stekol
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
NEWS IN BRIEF
// 3
AT A GLANCE
Greater DC Diaper Bank launches ‘Wipeout Summer’ donation campaign ATMIKA IYER
VENDOR PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS • The next vendor meeting is this Friday, July 22, at 2 p.m. Come have pizza and drinks!
Editorial Intern
• The women’s workshop starts Tuesday, July 26, and will be every Tuesday at 2 p.m.! • “Beat the Streets” is every Thursday at Street Sense at 3 p.m. Let’s go out and sell papers together! The Greater D.C. Diaper Bank’s Wipeout campaign aims to provide baby care necessities and hygiene products at no cost as inflation erodes many families’ ability to purchase diapers, wipes, baby formula and more. Photo courtesy of Greater D.C. Diaper Bank
T
he Greater DC Diaper Bank is launching its annual donation drive and fundraiser this summer and hopes to raise $5,000 worth of wipes through its campaign model “Give 5, Ask 5, High 5.” The “Give 5, Ask 5, High 5,” campaign asks residents in D.C., Maryland and Virginia to donate $5 or buy and donate five packs of wipes, and to inform five people about the donation opportunity or the work of the diaper bank in general. Last year, it distributed $61,875 worth of wipes amounting to approximately 8,124 pounds. In addition to baby wipes, the 12-year-old D.C. nonprofit distributes diapers, wipes, baby formula, period products, breastfeeding supplies and other hygiene essentials to families and individuals in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. As the prices of child care necessities continue to rise due to inflation, diaper banks are becoming a source of support for parents struggling to afford diapers, wipes and baby formula. In March, D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson
introduced the Diaper Affordability and Access Act of 2022 which provides a monthly $100 supplemental benefit to families enrolled in the Temporary and Needy Families Program with a child under age three. The bill is still being reviewed by a committee prior to being voted on. As a result, many families depend on diaper banks for diapers, wipes, baby formula at no cost. The Greater D.C. Diaper Bank is no exception — donating around 50 pounds of wipes to their partners, or clients. “We rely on community donations to stock our baby pantry. About 95% of those items are donated so we’re asking for wipes to ensure our partners continue to have what they need to serve their clients,” Greater DC Diaper Bank Program Manager Kirsten Davis said in the press release. “Right now, each partner receives approximately 50 pounds of wipes per month and we want to continue being a reliable source for these items.”
• Papers for vaccinations? Show us your CDC card and get 15 papers for being fully vaccinated plus 10 more for being boosted.
4 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2 022
NEWS
DC funded 2,400 vouchers. Less than 600 people have moved into housing ANNEMARIE CUCCIA Staff Reporter
Tents that once belonged to people experiencing homelessness, who lived at Union Station before it was cleared out on June 1. Photo by Athiyah Azeem
D
oug had a housing voucher, but he was still sleeping outside. Three days after the Jan. 6 insurrection, he boarded a train to D.C. on the promise of a job. When he arrived, he learned his start date was delayed. The place he had expected to work was near the Capitol Building, which was fenced off by National Guard soldiers. For some time, he relied on his savings to pay for food and housing. “Then, the job disappeared. COVID was still raging. And I kind of got stuck without any money, living on the streets,” he said. Doug, who asked to be identified only by his first name because he fears retribution for speaking out about the District government’s housing process, had been living outdoors for a year and a half when Street Sense spoke to him in June. Though he recently received a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) voucher, he may still have months to wait before moving into an apartment. Last summer, D.C. funded approximately 2,400 new individual PSH vouchers for fiscal year 2022, which started last October and runs through Sept. 30. The vouchers, which are split between regular PSH and emergency housing vouchers, provide long-term rent support and case management to people who have experienced homelessness for over a year and have a disabling condition. Many housing advocates view PSH vouchers as the best way to end chronic homelessness. But three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year, only about 520 people have moved into housing through these vouchers so far, according to the Department of Human Services (DHS). Many more are waiting — over 1,000 are somewhere in the formal application process, and another 900 or so are waiting for the assistance they need to begin applying. DHS doesn’t expect to be able to house people
with all 2,400 vouchers this year, according to Kevin Valentine, the agency’s communications director. This isn’t a new problem: D.C. used only 56% of newly available PSH vouchers between October 2019 and February 2021. But advocates say the current utilization rate is especially dismal and are urging reforms. There were 2,400 more vouchers but few new staff members or systemic improvements in place to administer them. Once a person experiencing homelessness is deemed eligible for a voucher, they are assigned to a designated case manager at a nonprofit PSH service provider. Each case manager can take on only so many clients at once, limiting the number of vouchers the system can process. The case manager then helps the voucher holder submit an official application to the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA), which then reviews the application. If the application is approved, the voucher holder — with the help of their case manager — has to find a unit to lease, have the unit inspected by DCHA, and sign a lease agreement. From the case manager assignment to lease up, the process takes 158 days on average, according to DHS. “The pace of lease ups in FY22 is faster and reflects significant improvement compared to the pace of lease ups in FY21,” Valentine wrote in an email to Street Sense and The DC Line. “We are continuously focused on supporting each resident in the PSH program to attain quality housing as quickly as possible.” As the end of the fiscal year approaches, PSH providers and housing advocates are demanding DCHA and DHS — which jointly administer the vouchers — speed up the process. They’re arguing that hiring incentives, streamlined application requirements, and a general decrease in bureaucracy would get people into housing faster. The long wait can prove particularly harmful for voucher holders who have chronic illnesses and become more
vulnerable each day they spend outside or in a shelter. In 2022, at least six people died in D.C. while waiting for a PSH unit, and case managers lost contact with 23, according to numbers presented by DHS to the Interagency Council on Homelessness. “These are not just frustrating delays in paperwork — they are delays that are keeping people experiencing homelessness longer,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, senior manager of policy and advocacy at Miriam’s Kitchen, a local organization that administers PSH vouchers. While Doug waited to move into his apartment, a green tent offered temporary accommodations. He was living outside of Union Station until the National Park Service evicted the 35 residents of the encampment. Spending his nights sweating during the heat of summer, he had to put the rest of his life on hold. “Who’s gonna hire me? Living in a tent?” he asked. “You gotta shower every morning. … You’re dealing with the public, you have to present a certain way.”
1,533 people assigned After Doug was deemed eligible for a voucher in the spring, he was assigned to a case manager at a nonprofit service provider to help him through the process. Providers tried to quickly hire staff to handle the 2,400voucher infusion. But doing so runs counter to the current labor market. Nationally, the unemployment rate is at a pandemic low of 3.6%, and the health care and social service sectors have the highest numbers of job openings. Nearly every organization that contracts with the D.C. government to provide PSH vouchers has open positions. Adam Maier, the director of housing partnerships at Pathways to Housing, is asking everyone he meets whether
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
they know someone who might want to work at Pathways. “There aren’t enough people to fill the jobs that are available,” he said. Providers also have to compete with DCHA and DHS, which often offer thousands more in salary when filling their own positions. The agencies also set minimum standards for the providers’ PSH staff members, including a bachelor’s degree. In order to expand the field of potentially qualified applicants, Maier has asked the government to lessen those requirements and consider some personal or professional experience with the voucher process as qualifying. DHS has worked with providers to increase some flexibility, Valentine said. DHS also recently announced it will be adopting another approach recommended by advocates: incentives. The agency will fund hiring and retention bonuses for PSH provider staff, which Rabinowitz hopes will help them hire more workers. DHS has also hired 15 new staff members this year for the agency’s newly created permanent housing division, according to Valentine. PSH is not just a housing program. It provides a range of services like basic health care, case management and therapy. The cost of these services will soon be covered by Medicaid, the government health insurance program for low-income adults and children as well as people with disabilities. While this will eventually save D.C. money, it complicates the PSH expansion process, said Christy Respress, executive director of Pathways. Providers will have new supervisor requirements, and some organizations may be hesitant to bring on more staff while billing systems are changing. Meanwhile, about 900 people are waiting to be assigned to a case manager, according to DHS. With that kind of a backlog, several providers said they recognize the need to expand quickly. Sharlene Castle, director of operations at Jaydot, said everyone working to distribute PSH vouchers needs to remember it’s a crisis and act accordingly. “We should be doing as much as we can to solve it as quickly as possible,” she said.
839 people approved Doug initially qualified for a PSH voucher through D.C.’s coordinated entry system, which determines whether a person experiencing homelessness is eligible for a permanent housing subsidy. After learning of his eligibility, a homeless services nonprofit assisted Doug with filing an application for a housing voucher. Housing advocates see the process of preparing and filing the application as filled with unnecessary delays. It takes about 80 days to complete the document as applicants attempt to locate hard-to-access information. In some instances, it can be even longer: People experiencing homelessness are less likely to have access to a photo ID, and it can take up to a year to secure one in order to submit their application. DCHA agreed in late June to waive the ID requirement for people who can’t easily access IDs. The D.C. Council approved emergency legislation on July 12 reiterating that people experiencing homelessness should not need IDs to obtain or keep a PSH voucher. The bill — which strengthened similar provisions included in last year’s Budget Support Act — also instructed DCHA to remove rules excluding people with criminal convictions from the PSH program. This rule change is widely expected to speed up the application process. Many of the people Miriam’s Kitchen works with are waiting for IDs, according to Rabinowitz. But applications may still sit at DCHA for weeks; the agency has committed to processing all PSH applications within 20 days, but the average wait time is currently just over a month.
About 120 people are currently waiting for approval from DCHA, according to DHS. The application process doesn’t need to take so long, Maier said. For federal vouchers, Pathways is authorized to process applications itself, instead of sending them to DCHA. “Right there is a transfer of paperwork and a review from a government agency that is not done by the federal government,” Maier said.
528 people housed Affordable housing is always hard to find in D.C., Castle said, and some landlords make it hard for PSH holders to rent their units. In the long term, building more affordable housing could give voucher holders more opportunities to find housing, she said. Maier is more concerned about one of the last steps in the process — the unit inspection. For vouchers funded by the federal government, Pathways can conduct the unit inspection itself. But for PSH vouchers, DCHA sends someone to the unit. This is one of the reasons it takes about 75 days for voucher holders to lease a unit even after their application is approved, Maier argued. “When a landlord calls me and tells me an apartment can be inspected today, I will show up there in 24 hours. But with the local government, there’s a delay,” Maier said, noting that the housing authority has a 10-day target for performing its inspections.
923 vouchers left While each step toward housing has its own challenges, providers identified several underlying factors that impede the overall process. It’s easy for applicants to feel lost in government bureaucracy, and different portals for landlords and voucher holders make it hard to keep up with all the required documentation. DCHA only updates online portals monthly, and case managers report not knowing the status of applications or who to contact at the agency. Providers have offered solutions to this, including calls for a centralized portal. Maier said he’d also like to see case managers able to access daily updates on applications. Since providers first raised these concerns in February, DCHA and DHS have been working to address them, Maier said. DCHA is reviewing how to make the voucher process more accessible and efficient, according to Sheila Lewis, agency director of communications. Rabinowitz appreciates the discussions but said they haven’t yet cleared the bureaucratic roadblocks. “DCHA can’t keep operating the way they have been,” he said. “We’re so far behind track, and they need to be working in turbo mode to catch up.” While the fiscal year ends in September, next year’s 500 new PSH vouchers for individuals won’t be available until Jan. 1, giving D.C. more time to house the remaining 1,900 individuals while spreading out the workflow for providers. Even if the process takes longer, the remaining vouchers will not expire. If all the vouchers from both years are used, advocates expect D.C. will be close to ending chronic homelessness for individuals in the city. “We’ve got the money to do it,” Maier said. “We can get it done, presuming all the systems are in place.” Will Schick contributed reporting. This article was co-published with The DC Line.
HELP! WE’RE LOOKING FOR
volunteers Become a Street Sense Media volunteer and help further our mission to empower people experiencing homelessness. Get to know the vendors and make a difference in their lives and yours! You’ll support hard-working newspaper vendors by volunteering your time, four hours a week, distributing newspapers at the Street Sense Media office. If interested, please contact Thomas Ratliff thomas@streetsensemedia.org 202-347-2006 (x103) For more information about these opportunities and other volunter positions, visit StreetSenseMedia.org/volunteer
// 5
6 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2 022
NEWS
DC to allow residents with unpaid debts to get driver’s licenses AMANDA MICHELLE GOMEZ DCist
A car parked in D.C., with a ticket tucked into its windshield wipers. Photo by Mike Maguire
T
he D.C. Council unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that allows residents who owe more than $100 to the local government get a driver’s license or renew an existing one. The bill, which reforms the city’s “Clean Hands” law, now goes to the mayor for her signature. An amendment that sought to address traffic safety concerns failed to pass in a 9 to 4 vote. The amendment would have continued to apply “Clean Hands” to people who have multiple fines for select moving violations. One of the councilmembers who introduced the amendment, Christina Henderson (At-Large), expressed hope at the legislative meeting that the body could revisit traffic safety and said that she’s already drafting something to that effect. But another of the amendment’s co-sponsors, Charles Allen (Ward 6), sounded less optimistic, pointing out that some provisions of Vision Zero — the citywide effort to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2024 — have not been funded or implemented. A third co-introducer, Breanne Nadeau (Ward 1), ended up voting against her own amendment because she was ultimately moved by advocates who said it undermined the bill’s intent, which is to end a system that disproportionately impacts working class people. A D.C. resident is not able to get a driver’s license or renew an existing one if they owe more than $100 to the local government. A bill introduced by Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie would amend the city’s “Clean Hands” law, so residents could get a driver’s license even if they are in debt to the government. He says the bill would reduce racial inequity because Black residents are disproportionately impacted by fines and fees. But the bill that’s up for a final vote on Tuesday, called the “Clean Hands Certification Equity Amendment Act of 2022,” has come under scrutiny. Several councilmembers are concerned about reducing the penalty for residents who are ticketed for moving violations, particularly during a time of increased traffic deaths and injuries. The communities
that shoulder government debt also have borne the brunt of traffic deaths. The Council is in overall agreement that the Clean Hands law needs to be changed, sympathizing with residents who cannot afford to pay parking tickets and thus cannot renew their driver’s licenses. Tickets can easily stack up – parking in a loading zone, for example, can result in up to a $100 fine. Consider Ward 8 resident Carlotta Mitchell, who is 70. She hasn’t been able to renew her driver’s license since 2014 because she owes $660 in tickets and fines, according to her written testimony to the Council – all of which she accumulated from expired tags while she was homeless and slept in her car. Without a license, she struggles to attend church or get to the grocery store. Grocery stores are harder to get to from where Mitchell lives: Nearly half of the District’s food deserts are in Ward 8 – in late 2021, they opened just their second full-service grocery store. “Getting that license for so many people is a pathway to doing life – essential life activities – getting to a job, keeping a job, laundry, childcare, groceries, visiting loved ones,” says Ariel Levinson-Waldman, the founder of Tzedek DC, a legal group that advocates for low-income residents in debt-related matters. “There are tens of thousands of residents who cannot do that, lawfully,” he says. His organization explains the outsized harm of the Clean Hands law to working-class Black residents because of structural racism in a report released last year. Nearly all of the fines and forfeitures the D.C. government collects every year comes from parking and traffic tickets, according to the report, and Black drivers are disproportionately ticketed. It shows that Black residents are also less likely than their white counterparts to have the financial assets to pay the fines and fees, and white D.C. households have 81 times more wealth than Black ones do. Separately, a Washington Post analysis of traffic tickets found that 62 percent of all the fines from automated systems and police were issued in majority-Black
neighborhoods where the average median household income is below $50,000. The Council’s Office of Racial Equity says the bill “will likely improve a portion of quality of life outcomes for Black residents in the District.” People still drive without a license, risking criminal charges and jail time. In 2019, D.C. police made 2,797 adult arrests where the most serious offense was driving without a license, according to Tzedek’s report. Tzedek, along with 31 other local organizations including Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and the ACLU of the District of Columbia, have advocated for reform of the Clean Hands law. “Three years ago, D.C. was a leader nationwide on this issue by ending the automatic immediate suspension of driver’s licenses for unpaid debt,” says an April 2021 letter by the several dozen organizations. “Now, the District is a national and regional outlier, one of just a handful of jurisdictions that cling to the harmful, outdated approach of automatically denying license renewals as punishment for unpaid fines and fees.” In 2018, the Council ended the government’s practice of suspending driver’s licenses due to unpaid fines and fees. Consequently, over 15,500 D.C. residents had their driver’s licenses restored. Neighboring states have gone further in ending debt-related restrictions on driving privileges. Maryland does not suspend or revoke driver’s licenses or deny renewals for unpaid traffic violations, but continues for unpaid criminal fines and fees, while Virginia ended the practice for all unpaid fines and fees. The Council nearly-unanimously voted in favor of McDuffie’s bill in late June. However, several councilmembers, including Christina Henderson (At-Large) and Charles Allen (Ward 6), voted on the condition that McDuffie would work with them to address traffic safety concerns. Taking away an enforcement tool when the city already struggles to enforce traffic laws could put the public at higher risk of dangerous drivers, they noted.
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
// 7
Councilmembers, who work in the John A. Wilson Building, unanimously passed an amendment to allow drivers who owe more than $100 to District government, to renew their driver’s license. Photo by Kaela Roeder
“What is the consequence of speeding in this city?” said Henderson during the June 28 legislative meeting just before voting “Yes.” D.C. uses a point system for moving violations as a way to deter drivers from dangerous behavior. Drivers are at risk of having their licenses suspended or revoked under the point system. McDuffie’s bill would not impact the point system. However, several councilmembers take issue with the system’s ineffectiveness. Points, for example, are not assessed for parking and photo tickets. Police do not regularly enforce traffic laws. Reformists also want to end the practice entirely. An independent commission appointed by the Council recommended that the city’s Department of Transportation start enforcing traffic violations “that do not imminently threaten public safety” because police stops can escalate and shift resources away from violent crimes. Traffic laws are also enforced through towing and booting. But because D.C. has cited so many vehicles with multiple unpaid tickets and has too few booting crews, it would take 25 years for all eligible vehicles in the backlog to be booted. Of the 550,000 vehicles eligible to be booted, roughly 5,000 have tickets for traveling at least 21 mph over the speed limit and another 150,000 for running a red light. McDuffie says he understands his colleagues’ concerns because he too is worried about traffic safety. He recalls visiting the family of Allison Hart, a 5-year-old girl who was killed last year by a driver while riding her bike in a crosswalk. However, McDuffie questions whether the Clean Hands law is the best way to enforce traffic laws. Other enforcement measures need reforming, he and others noted. “The Clean Hands requirement, first and foremost, was not designed to be a tool for public safety. Rather, it was a tool that was implemented for collecting revenue,” McDuffie tells DCist/WAMU. The Council added fines related to parking and moving violations to the Clean Hands law in 2001, a time when the government was trying to end the reign of the Congressimposed financial control board. According to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, parking and traffic violations accounted for 99.1% of fines and forfeitures in fiscal year 2020, 98.6% in FY2019, and 98.7% in FY2018. Parking violations have generated the most revenue, says David
Umansky, the CFO’s public affairs officer. Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh voted present during the first reading of McDuffie’s bill, after having co-sponsored a previous version of it. She is interested in moving forward with an amendment during the second and final reading of the bill that would hold drivers on the hook for specific moving violations. The amendment — offered by Cheh, Allen, Henderson and Ward 1 Councilmember Breanne Nadeau and shared with DCist/WAMU — would let residents get driver’s licenses provided they have “fewer than 3 unpaid tickets for speeding, failure to stop at a red light or stop sign, or passing a stopped school bus that are not eligible for appeal.” Cheh acknowledges that having the city deny driver’s license renewals for moving violations, but not parking, adds administrative difficulties. But she believes it is worth it given Clean Hands is one of a few enforcement tools the city has. “Maybe we’re not going to get everybody, but at least we’ll get the people that we can get,” says Cheh. “It’s no answer to solving the problem to say, ‘Well you’re not solving the whole thing.’ It may be all we can do at the moment to solve part of it.” While McDuffie’s bill doesn’t expunge people of their debt, Cheh says she is also concerned about people not being compelled to pay fines and fees because other licenses that apply under Clean Hands (related to business, government contracts, or local grants) won’t motivate them as much. “It’s not going to be a deterrent if people get these tickets, and they double. They don’t give a damn. They could pay them, but they don’t have to because they know that there’ll be no consequences.” Levinson-Waldman of Tzedek believes Cheh’s amendment will present practical obstacles, and, more importantly, will undermine the overall progress of the bill. “The reason it’s not a good idea to make that big carve out is that it would just continue this two-tier system of justice that we’ve got right now,” he says. “It says that people who can make the payment are not going to be shut out of the system. People who can’t make the payment are going to continue to be shut out of the system and not be able to access this basic activity of key essential life activity in D.C. Two out of 3 jobs in our region require a car to get there in less than an hour and a half.”
Tzedek and other organizations demanding reform have emailed councilmembers, calling on them to vote against Cheh’s “well-intentioned” amendment. The “implicit assumption” of the amendment is “that D.C. residents with less wealth somehow pose a higher risk than residents with funds to pay” the email says. “The overlay of that implicit assumption with D.C.’s current racial disparities in wealth and D.C.’s over-policing of Brown and Black D.C. neighborhoods is very concerning here.” Councilmembers offering the amendment disagree, arguing the carve out comprehensively considers equity issues without sacrificing traffic safety. “Of note, the three or more ticket threshold would mean that Clean Hands requirements are triggered in instances where the infractions could have prompted the revocation or suspension of their license, should the tickets have incurred points,” lawmakers say in the amendment they circulated Monday afternoon. It’s unclear how many people cannot renew their driver’s licenses because of parking violations versus moving violations. The Departments of Motor Vehicles deferred DCist/WAMU’s questions to the Freedom of Information Act process. According to the DMV’s oversight report to the Council, there were 837,899 parking citations processed and 53,929 moving citations processed by law enforcement in fiscal year 2020, and 1,306,689 photo citations processed that same year. Several experts DCist/WAMU spoke with declined to speculate on the effects McDuffie’s bill would have on traffic safety. Erick Guerra, a transportation researcher with the University of Pennsylvania, says the literature on enforcement confirms this leg of the stool’s importance to safety, along with the built in environment of communities, but cannot definitively say what type works best. “We’re in a relatively dangerous moment with traffic fatalities, tending to move in the wrong direction. And from that perspective, it is somewhat worrying if there’s the potential to reduce the impacts of one of the tools that we have to make safety gains,” says Guerra. But he also acknowledges the racial and economic inequities of the current fines and fees structure, favoring proportional ticketing like Nordic countries have instead. This article was originally published by DCist
8 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2 022
NEWS
As the refugee crisis worsens, street papers offer a path to stability and a hopeful future TONY INGLIS International Network of Street Papers
Friday Akpan thinks getting a job as a seller of Apropos was fate. Photo by Foto Flausen
Street paper Megaphone vendors David and Zaid. Photo courtesy of Megaphone
S
treet papers have found themselves increasingly to be at the center of the refugee crisis. Higher numbers of people selling street papers across different parts of the world have fled from their home countries due to poverty, persecution and conflict. Not only do street papers have the ability to platform their voices and stories, but they also offer a stable income when a place in the mainstream job market may seem out of reach. Their support beyond simply selling the magazine — assisting in applying for documentation and permits, looking for a new place to live, and language classes — means a pathway to integration into what is sometimes a new and unfamiliar society. Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, INSP and its member street papers are helping some refugees — who now work selling street papers — to tell their story. The movement of people is at the forefront of public consciousness due to the mass migration caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, with refugees at first crossing at the nearest borders, and later arriving further afield. But the conflict in eastern Europe is only the latest indication of the continuing refugee crisis across the world, with strife and war forcing people from their
Street paper zebra. vendor Paul Nosaghare Igbeque. Photo by Anna Mayr
surroundings in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, parts of Latin America and north and west Africa, and other areas of the Middle East. This is a global issue. And it isn’t just conflict that gives people no other option but to abandon their home: poverty, persecution, crackdowns on certain values and principles, and climate change, to name just a few, can all be factors in people seeking a better life in a new place. Upon arriving in a strange and unfamiliar environment, refugees are often faced with uncertain next steps and a barrier of bureaucracy blocking the route towards becoming recognized by the state which the now want to call home. Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, INSP and its member street papers are helping some refugees — who now work selling street papers — to tell their story, explaining where they’ve come from, why they left, and what it is about being involved with street papers that has made the transition easier.
‘The street paper gave me a new hope’ 44-year-old Paul Nosaghare Igbeque, originally from Nigeria, now works selling the street paper zebra. in Bolzano in northern Italy. 80% of zebra.’s vendors are from Nigeria.
“I was born in Igueben, a small town close to Benin City,” says Paul. “After I graduated from secondary school I started working in a restaurant as a dishwasher in order to earn the money to live and pay for university. Life in Nigeria was very hard and dangerous. Growing up I faced a lot of violence. I was the victim of police brutality twice without having committed any crime. That is why I decided to move to Kaduna, in the north of the country. But I’m Christian and that area was very dangerous for me due to the prevalence of religious extremist terrorist groups and constant killing and kidnapping. “I had to leave my country in order to survive. It was 2016. I crossed Niger and arrived in Libya. I spent two months in detention. I had to ask for help from my mother, who paid for my release. Four days later I was imprisoned again, beaten badly, and left in a pool of blood. I still have the wounds on my head. God saved my life. “Even in Libya my life was at risk and the only way to survive was by reaching Europe by boat. When I saw the sea, I was very afraid. Three days before my departure a boat sank and 36 people died. I sailed with many other people and after a few hours we were in trouble: our boat had started taking in water and we had no more food or drinking water. I remember that the blue of the water was
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
very intense. I drank it and it was so salty. “We sailed for one day before being rescued. The people on the ship were shouting at us to be calm, stay still, and not to swing our boat. We were thrown life jackets and with a rope we were hoisted aboard. I was condemned to death, but once again, with the love of God, I did it. When I was in Libya there was a song that I used to sing — “This will not happen again” — which gave me strength. I will never forget that song. I will keep singing it forever. “I arrived in Sicily, then I started a long trip by bus to reach Bolzano. I travelled for two days, afraid that they would deport me out of Europe. After some weeks, I tried to move to Germany, but I was registered as an asylum seeker in Italy and when the police checked my fingerprints I was sent back to Italy. I was in Bolzano once again. I did not have a place to stay and I lived on the street for six months before finding shelter in a camp. I’ve been living in there for four years with many other people, but that is okay for me. I always try to look on the bright side of things. “In 2019, I started selling the street paper zebra. Sometimes it can be difficult to stand outside in the cold for many hours, but I always say that zebra. gave me a new hope. In a very difficult moment of my life, it helped me to look forward to the future. I was living in the camp with nothing to do, but by selling zebra. I had the chance to be active again. Over the years, I have done several courses, volunteer activities, and I worked in agriculture, tourism, cleaning, and in a garden centre. At the moment, I am waiting for the court to rule on my application for asylum. The hearing took place a year ago and I am still waiting for the result.”
A new life Negussie Weldai is one of a cohort of vendors at the Swiss street paper Surprise that identifies as a refugee. “After fleeing the regime in Eritrea, I came to Switzerland in 2010,” says 63-year-old Negussie. “After being here for five months, I started selling the street
magazine Surprise. It was an opportunity to earn some money and start my new life here. Being able to buy the things I needed made me feel like a normal person again. Meeting people and talking to customers helped me to learn German faster and connect to Swiss people. “The social workers from Surprise helped me with several things, like getting legal status and finding a rental place to live in. Since 2016, I’ve also had a part-time job at the front desk of the Surprise office in Bern. My wife also works as a vendor. Our income now earns us a living and has prevented us from having to apply for government support. For that we are thankful and keep working hard.”
‘The street paper has made my core beliefs feel legitimate’ David Deocera and his partner Zaid Altobal left the Philippines and Jordan respectively in search of a country that would welcome them as members of the LGBTQ community. For David, being gay in the Philippines meant never being fully accepted, and for Zaid, homosexuality could result in imprisonment, or worse, in his home country of Jordan. Now they both sell the street paper Megaphone in Canada. “Megaphone has supported my core beliefs as legitimate since I began working as a vendor in this country,” says David. “Reason, empathy, human kindness and nonjudgmental generosity are my fundamental core values and beliefs now. “Thank goodness Megaphone shares these values with me and I am happy to continue working with them as a partner and vendor. Earning extra income is secondary to me.” “Being a new immigrant, selling Megaphone on the street gave me a feeling of being welcomed by the Canadian people,” says Zaid. “It gave me a chance to earn extra income and develop my skills in interacting with people.”
// 9
‘It has got me this far, and it will take me even further’ Friday Akpan arrived in Austria from Italy in September 2014. Like zebra. vendor Paul, he too had come from Nigeria. He started selling the street paper Apropos in Salzburg in 2015. It’s a date that he remembers well. He was thrilled to be accepted as a vendor; it resolved the pressing question of what he might do and where he might work. Working as a vendor got the ball rolling from Friday’s arrival as a refugee to his eventual acceptance as an asylum seeker. Friday’s work as an Apropos vendor enables him to pay for his rent and household expenses. But selling Apropos on the street is not just a means of earning a bit extra; he has a personal connection with his customers. This connection is often much stronger than a purely professional one, though Friday is most keen to keep selling apart from his private life. “I always give the exact change,” he stresses. “If the paper is three euros and someone pays with a five euro note, they always get the two euros change. That way, the business side is taken care of. They often give me back the two euros as a tip. But that’s another matter.” “Life is all about give and take,” says Friday. “If you are nice to people, then they will be nice to you.” Since coming to Austria, it is recommendations from others that have helped him to progress and move forward: he is known to be a good man. His affable personality and readiness to help have been his trump cards in getting over the hurdles faced by someone with asylum status. He hopes to use these attributes in the future to ensure the right to remain for his youngest son. “I’m living from day to day,” says Friday. “It’s got me this far, and it will take me even further.” With thanks to the social work, vendor support and editorial staff at zebra., Megaphone, Surprise and Apropos. Courtesy of the International Network of Street Papers
1 0 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2 022
OPINION
DC isn’t doing enough to support the unhoused population during COVID. Here’s what can be done about it JESSICA SHAO
A
ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are at risk for infection when there is community spread of COVID-19. This is because homeless services are often provided in congregate settings, where social distancing is difficult to maintain and access to medical resources is limited. Based on the 2022 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, an estimated 4,410 people were experiencing homelessness in D.C. at the end of January. Among unhoused adults, 35% are over the age of 55 and 16% have a chronic physical health condition. These conditions make them even more susceptible to COVID infection. Health data show how these vulnerabilities play out. By March 2022, 1,248 positive COVID cases were reported in D.C. among people who were staying in a shelter. That accounts for about a third of that population (about 3,720 people, as estimated by the PIT Count). Twenty-six people died in the Homeless Service System, 2% of its total reported cases. Compare this to the total D.C. population, about a fifth of whom tested positive as of March, according to calculations based on city data, with a mortality rate of a little under 1 percent. To make matters worse, many social services were forced to shut down or operate remotely due to staffing and funding shortages. The D.C. government has attempted to respond to the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on the unhoused community, but these efforts have been largely inadequate, and much more can be done.
Pandemic housing On March 17, 2020, the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) launched the Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Individuals (PEP-V). The program places unhoused residents at higher risk of being severely affected by COVID into hotel rooms leased out by DHS. Eligible residents include those who have certain medical conditions or are over 55 years old, as well as those who need to quarantine after COVID exposure. Residents may stay in the hotel until their case manager matches them with government housing programs, with the goal of helping them transition to permanent housing. At its height, PEP-V offered housing for up to 800 residents. In July 2022, almost 600 hotel beds are occupied at PEP-V sites. The city reports that 722 people have moved from hotels to permanent housing, and another 312 have been matched to “permanent housing resources.” However, the demand for PEP-V is high, and so are its costs. When PEP-V first began in 2020, residents were placed into private rooms at two sites, but within the first month, some residents who received a referral for a hotel room were placed onto the waiting list. By the end of 2021, more PEP-V sites had been created, yet the waiting list was nearly as large as the program’s capacity, and most residents had to share rooms with others. Street Sense reports that it costs the city $6.9 million per month to run PEP-V, and the continuation of the program
depends on the availability of federal funding. This is why PEP-V was almost discontinued and subsequently extended several times, and its future is not yet clear.
Encampment removal In August 2021, Mayor Muriel Bowser launched the Coordinated Assistance and Resources for Encampments (CARE) pilot program to clear out the city’s three largest encampments and move residents to permanent housing. Under the program, individuals residing in the pilot encampments were identified by DHS-contracted outreach teams and offered intensive case management, behavioral health or substance use support, and expedited affordable housing options. Although participation is technically voluntary, if a resident refuses engagement and services, DHS mandates that they move somewhere else where there are “decreased health and safety risk factors present.” The program has drawn criticism from council members and advocates, who oppose the permanent shutdown of encampments and question whether transitional hotel rooms and apartments can sufficiently meet the needs of those displaced by the program. Based on the DMHHS/DHS Encampment CARES Dashboard, 41 of 45 residents in the NoMa encampments, 23 of 34 residents in the 20/21st and E Street encampments, and 26 of 32 residents in the New Jersey and O Street encampments have either been leased up or are working with street outreach workers on accessing housing services as of May 2022. This leaves 21 people who have left the encampment sites, cannot, or do not wish to engage with CARE services. In a statement, The Way Home Campaign expressed concerns about the creation of “no camping zones” that criminalize homelessness in the encampments and demanded a stop to encampment clearings, as the CDC has advised cities not to conduct full encampment cleanups during the pandemic. The statement also argues that prioritizing select encampment residents for housing is unfair to other unsheltered residents waiting for housing placements. Additionally, an incident during the NoMa encampment clearing in October 2021 — during which an unhoused person was hit by a skid-steer loader driven by a city worker — raised doubts about the treatment of those living in the encampments.
Vaccination efforts In the District of Columbia COVID-19 Vaccination Plan released in November 2020, “Homeless, Transitional Housing Residents” rank high in the priority list for vaccine allocation. The D.C. government distributed COVID vaccines to those living in low-barrier shelters and PEP-V sites when they were available. Through the COVID-19 Peer Educator Program, the D.C. government hired and trained 55 shelter residents to help dispel misinformation and promote COVID vaccines across five men’s and women’s low-barrier emergency shelters while also conducting street outreach and running programs like COVID-19 bingo. For those who are unsheltered, the
city partnered with Unity Health Care to host pop-up mobile vaccine clinics at multiple locations, including Marvin Gaye Park, Miriam’s Kitchen, So Others Might Eat, and near the NoMa encampments. Overall, vaccination rates in the D.C. unhoused community plateaued in the second half of 2021, mirroring national trends. Approximately 47% of D.C.’s unsheltered population were fully vaccinated as of July 2021, lagging behind the vaccination rate of the total D.C. population. According to the city’s data, as of July 2022, 28% of people living in shelters have been vaccinated, 4% have been partially vaccinated and 68% remain unvaccinated. These discrepancies could be explained by mistrust in the vaccine and government services as well as racial disparities in vaccine distribution. COVID vaccine distribution is just one example of the historically inequitable distribution of health care in the U.S., but when it comes to public health and immunity to the virus, everyone should be equal.
More funding and outreach needed Although COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates have eased in D.C., the risks from new variants cannot be ignored. Much more needs to be done to protect the unhoused population from the adverse impacts of the pandemic. For one, more funding is necessary to expand the capacity of PEP-V and ensure its survival throughout, if not beyond, the pandemic. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau has called for the D.C. government to invest in the purchase of hotels for short-term use for PEP-V and long-term use for project-based Permanent Supportive Housing. At the same time, because encampment cleanups displace residents and expose them to even higher risks of infection, they ought to be put on pause until after the end of the pandemic. When they continue, the city must employ a peoplecentered approach and make sure all the displaced residents are accounted for on their own terms, rather than forcibly removing them from the encampments. Further, to raise vaccination rates and ensure equitable vaccine distribution, greater street outreach and more accessible vaccination opportunities are needed for unhoused residents who remain unvaccinated, especially for people who are Black, Latinx, and members of other racial and ethnic minority groups. Besides providing more support to nonprofits and social services to spread information about the merits of the vaccine, the government should continue holding free clinics at accessible locations. It is only when policies take the voices and vulnerabilities of marginalized groups into consideration that good intentions do not inflict more harm. Jessica Shao is a rising junior at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service majoring in International Political Economy with a Certificate in Diplomatic Studies. She is a member of the HOME Program Research and Advocacy Team at Georgetown’s Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service.
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
My family
In the world
ABEL PUTU Artist/Vendor
ANTHONY CARNEY Artist/Vendor
Munah Pelham-Youngblood was a great leader and great family to me. She died in July 2020. In Liberia, she was the youngest parliamentarian elected at age 27. She received a lot of recognition and awards. I want more people to know who she was. She was such a good person and cared for the people of Liberia. I miss her every day. I pray that I can give back to West Africa, as my cousin did. When I win the lottery, that’s what I’ll do.
In this world, something is always going on, good or bad. The truth is one must have thick skin to deal with this world, because people are killing each other in the name of being right. People don’t have enough to eat. There are good things in the world, such as a child being born. People help each other with food and clothing, they are hopeful. We all spread love.
Fish food COREY SANDERS Artist/Vendor
As I swim in this water, trapped inside a bowl and see you staring at me, I wonder when I get old, am I going to be eaten on your plate? I would hate it if that would become my final state. I know your people say fish are good for you, good for your brain, but I say I should be left alone. The eyes on your face say, “I’m gonna eat you.” And, I know it’s coming soon, so all the fish food you put in here, I gladly send that back to you.
Fish in a bowl QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE Artist/Vendor
Hi, you – fish in this bowl. Is this part of your fish family on my fishing pole? When I got them, the water was ice cold. I’m guessing, as I was told, yours are not. I can keep them to eat them and just look at you. Hi, you – fish in this bowl. Are these fish part of your family that I have on my fishing pole? I was told I could keep them to eat with you. I can only look at you to behold your beauty.
The life we live now KYM PARKER Artist/Vendor
The life we live now hurts us all, sometimes eats us from the inside out. When I am walking down the street, when I am sitting in the church and praying, God hears me. It takes away the pain. It takes away the anger. To watch the angel sing and dance, we don't need to be in the church, to pray and make that pain disappear. She told us that it doesn't take us a lot to talk to her; we just need to look up. She is in every grain of sand, every star, and every molecule. She understands us all, helps us go through the day, and tells us to never look away. Everything is about love, respect, and peace. She teaches us how to love and respect ourselves. SYBIL TAYLOR Artist/Vendor
RITA SAULS Artist/Vendor
// 11
1 2 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2022
ART
Food for thought! MARCUS MCCALL Artist/Vendor
So many of us live a reactionary life. Everything we do is a reaction to someone or something. We’re pulled this way and that, often overwhelmed; our mood varies, depending on who we’re around. Quick to anger, spent at the end of the day. Not a great way to operate. There is another way: live an intentional life. We all have intentions. We intend to be kind and loving, to do more for God, to keep our peace and serenity. Then life happens, someone messes us up. We allow life to get in the way. Intentions go out the window when we start reacting to the world. Stop! Be intentional. Live out our intentions. Make choices instead of allowing circumstances to choose for us. Make an intention in the morning and carry it out throughout the day. One day at a time. Keep it simple. Life gets better, when we get better.
Insignificantly me ROBERT WARREN Artist/Vendor
Insignificantly me, Smaller than an ant, you see in comparison to this universe, on top of universes For the eyes have never seen such amazing unbelievable imagery, From the eye of the telescope giving new hope, As if we didn’t know we are not alone. If souls of human beings grow old and become stars in far off galaxies, Did the human brain give thought to all we see? Is there really an intelligent designer, for those of us who believe no one? Paint the sky like the most high God there that is — Diamonds, rubies and pearls, Sapphires in all the beautiful colors of the rainbow
Bringing forward lights of Life of an always expanding universe And, then there’s me — Insignificantly me, With the eyes to see that I am the greatest of creations Our Lord said Be and I was A star in a far off galaxy Seen in a telescope, Created by Me, the Human Being Only if you believe in the unseen and are certain of the hereafter.
Parents and guardians, use a little academics this summer MICHELE ROCHON Artist/Vendor
After transitioning to online schooling in 2021, many students argued that they missed out on in-class interactions. They no longer were able to freely converse with their classmates and their teachers. They may have missed out on some critical learning. Please consider providing your child with activities that are fun and compliment their academic learning. For instance, you can take your children out for a camping experience that centers around a topic or subject matter. You can take your child out for a hike and catch butterflies, all while conversing about science. Alternatively, you can opt to have a fun at home summer experience. This can involve trips to the local library. Many branches now have book clubs that involve a discussion session. These kinds of experiences can enhance a child’s ability
to retain and understand information they read. Reading can also enrich a child's vocabulary extensively, enhancing their cognitive and metacognitive skills. Another fun at home adventure can be offering your child a chance to operate a lemonade stand or candy apple stand, marketing their service to neighbors and counting money. Many apps now provide lessons in budgeting skills, and this could possibly lead to a bank account for a very young child. As a young child I was encouraged to find creative ways to earn money, usually cleaning was what I gravitated towards, as well as collecting glass soda bottles. Finally, enjoy your summer!
Food review rhymes ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor
1. What did one potato chip say to the other? Shall we go for a dip? 2. How did Jesus serve two loaves of bread with five loaves of bread leftover? He fed the multitude with supernatural bread after reading the bible. 3. What has to be broken before you can use it? An egg. 4. What did the baby corn say to its mom? Where is my “Popcorn”?
5. What do french fries do when they meet up after a long time? Let us Ketchup! 6. Why did the slice of bread get sent home from school? Because someone stole it, and *crunch* it is my lunchbox. 7. What two letters does a banana have? Na, an’ I am a banana. 8. What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot.
9. What did the pecan say to the walnut? We are friends because we both like nuts. 10. When your kids won’t eat their greens? Just look at my face, I look mean. 11. When you get hit in the head with a soda can? You better be glad it’s a soft drink. 12. When do you know you just cut an onion? When you stop crying.
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
Confluence of care
Jazz riffs
FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor
FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor
Who say country music is for white men only? Yeah? Just ask Lil’ Nas X, “Old Town Road” Jimmy Allen “All Tractors Aren’t Green” Darius Rucker, “That’s the way to rock my momma” BB King, “Patches” Rhiannon Giddens, Mickey Guyton, Charlie Pride, DeFord Bailey, Big Al Downing, Dr. Cleve Francis. But hey — Willie Murrell and George Jones, they got some soul with them too? Don’t they?
// 1 3
A stretched vamp On horn, or Slow sweet Piano trill Is the jazz Way to stick around A while longer
Author’s Note: I could be playing country, jazz or blues in this photograph. Music in the wee hours, when it’s dark and lonely, and it reaches out and makes you feel like you belong to something beautiful. Life has a network of energy to it. A homeless man walked past me recently and looked like his pants were falling off. It looked like he was untethered from life, and I’m thankful that it’s not me today. Music is still giving me this charge and makes me want to wake up and get up the next day and do it all again. Music is always right there with me; it informs my poetry, it informs my writing, and it informs my prayers. And, that’s why I write these little pieces; it’s what motivates me.
Photo by “Joe of Georgetown.” Courtesy of Frederic John
A tented voice LATICIA BROCK Artist/Vendor
I'm yelling and nobody hear me Voices walking pass me but nobody helping me How can I escape living under this bridge Will the government help me or will I die in this tent I know I can help myself but I don't have the strength Year of sleeping over heat vent gave me bronchitis And all the time I breath in asbestos And mold Will I die or will my story ever be told Mayor Bowser help me three term in the election Dying without dignity of getting a home a home Body spread from infection I'm curious to know how you got the votes for mayor If I was the leading lady them tents wouldn't be there Yeah, I know I can talk until I'm hoarse I may not vote but I still have a tented voice
Mother JACKIE TURNER Artist/Vendor
To my mother, the strongest woman I ever knew. You worked without taking off. You cared and used every skill you knew to raise three girls when you were only a young girl yourself. You stayed awake at night to pray and kept looking in on us to make sure we were safe. You went without personal things to provide for us. You learned along with us. We grew together in love. You will always be with me in my heart.
You are not alone REDBOOK MANGO Artist/Vendor
You are not alone. Many of us who don’t have a home, a place to store our things, but to publish this poem, “a well job done.” If I missed her name, she wasn’t my son. And prepare great meals I mean a homeless entertainer is a major deal, See the odds are against you And the money has not dropped, To be creative I will try and never be stopped. See what goes up, must come down, To lose all your belongings and still get off the ground. To create a character that nobody could resist, see what God did for Tyler Perry is every homeless man Now, didn’t you watch the movie Hitch? If I had Will Smith’s money, My whole city would be rich; See poverty and provided habits That the unfortunate partake, Not everybody gets a voucher 17 years I had to wait. And a few of my friends, ponder my fate Tomorrow’s not promised, nobody knows Their date (Crystal) Blackout at Woodley Zoo and woke up at Tenley AU, give me 5 mins to finish this poem, boo. To nod off on the trains, just to handle the pain
It’s too hot, it’s too cold, Can’t nobody explain. No pot to piss in and no money to exchange To wash your body and lock your door, People take it for granted, but what we need is more. Powerful political Tylers, undisputed by the Smiths, To manifest God’s greatest gift, To set a dream with a stone, To fly over this storm, to show us who you are. It’s not where you been, and it’s not where you from — A homeless entertainer is more than a bum. Now karma is a wheel, and love is just a meal. The ups and downs of life rolling hills, Don’t give up, it’s not too late. God put us here, we just have to wait. MLK had a vision Malcolm forsaked, Left eye was too late, And Aliyah never dreamed “Rock the Boat” was her last scene. Homelessness is a label people judge by it’s cover, Don’t write a book Mango, can’t nobody discover, Life is a journey and entertainers come a dime a dozen I wish I should of, could of, Not I wish, I really wasn’t True story.
1 4 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 0 - 2 6 , 2022
FUN & GAMES
OnlineCrosswords.net This is the Daily Crossword Puzzle #3 for Jul 18, 2022
Across Across 1. Rigatoni, 1. Rigatoni,e.g. e.g. 6. Emeril, forfor one 6. Emeril, one Easy Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad, Volume 19, Book 11 10. 10. Peer atataapage Peer page 14. 14. Misbehave Misbehave Kind lamp 15. 15. Kind of of lamp Place the tense tense 16. 16. Place forforthe Lovers things 10? 17. 17. Lovers ofofallallthings 10? Urgent 19. 19. Urgent Tailor’s task 20. 20. Tailor's task thedemagogue demagogue 21. 21. ActAct the 22. Promoted boastfully 22. Promoted boastfully 24. Spare, e.g. 24. Spare, e.g. 25. Sportscaster’s avoidances 25. Sportscaster's 26. Word that always brings a avoidances smile? 26. Word that always brings 29. Oil source a smile? 30. Opera star Marilyn 29. 31. Oil “Rush source Hour” star 30. 32. Opera Judgestar Marilyn 31. 36. "Rush star TermHour" paper abbr. 32. 37. Judge What questions do 36. 38. Term abbr. Ringpaper studded with diamonds 37. 39. What questions Place for a pig do Retail grouping 38. 40. Ring studded with 41. Rock of comedy diamonds Low-lying areas 39. 42. Place for a pig 44. Handymen 40. Retail grouping Office fasteners 41. 45. Rock of comedy 48. Going around in circles 42. Low-lying areas © 2019 KrazyDad.com 49. Like the Mississippi 44. Handymen 50. Max 45. Office fasteners Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 51. One-time Howard Hughes 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9. 48. Going around in circles airline If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork. 49. Like the Mississippi 54. “___ in Calico” Thistocrossword Max Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical>> order solve the puzzle. 50. 55. Selected sigh of relief? answers: Use it to identify the next square you should solve.puzzle’s Or use the answers page 51. One-time Howard 58. San ___ (Riviera resort) if you really get stuck. https://tinyurl.com/SSMHughes airline 59. Em, to Dorothy crossw-07-20-2022 54. 60. "___ in Calico" Delete 55. 61. Selected ofmenace, relief? “Jurassicsigh Park” << LAST ___ (Riviera resort) 58. San briefly EDITION’S 59. 62. Em, to Dorothy Their sole purpose is to have PUZZLE SOLUTION a ball 60. Delete Flat fees? 61. 63. "Jurassic Park" menace, briefly 62. Their sole purpose is to have a ball 63. Flat fees?
Find the solution at https://onlinecrosswords.net/1116
Sudoku #1
Get a Job!
© ONLINECROSSWORDS.NET
Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta. (Grab much, gain little.)
3 2 9 7 4 5 7 4 6 1 9 9 8 3 5 4 6 5 3 1 1 4 6 8 9 1 8 7 5 5 6 4 2 7 8
Down
Down
1. Trodden track
18. Fabled napper
41. "Waterworld" star
1.2.Trodden 18. 23. Fabled napper abbr. Pang track 43. Cockpit abbr. Venezuelan export43. Cockpit 2.3.Pang 23. Venezuelan export 44. Clinton opponent It's on the watch 44. Clinton opponent 24. Did a shepherd's 3. It’s on the watch 24. garden Did a shepherd’s 45. Like a whip? chore? 4. Monkey suit, briefly 45. Like a whip? 4. Monkey suit, briefly garden chore? 46. Woods with woods 25. Action film 5. Impart knowledge to 46. Woods with woods 5. Impart knowledge to 25. Action film sequence 47. “It’s only ___!” sequence 6. "Crazy" singer 47. "It's only ___!" 6. “Crazy” singer 26. China problem 48. Contents of Santa’s 26. China problem 7. Guard's shout 48. 7. Guard’s shout 27. Skelton persona mail Contents of Santa's Skelton persona mail as a razor Garden party? 8.8.Garden party? 28. 27. Ponch portrayer 50. Sharpen, portrayer 28. Ponch 50. Sharpen, as a razor The on the 9.9.The farfar leftleft on the 29. They may get splints 51. Compared to 29. They may get splints highway 51. Compared to highway 31. Blubbers 52. Needle point? 31. Blubbers 10. Less good looking? 52. Needle point? 10. Less good looking? 33. British nobleman 53. Amazes British nobleman 56. Light 11.TV’s TV's Mrs. Bunker 53.property Amazes 11. Mrs. Bunker 34. 33. Nefarious 34. Nefarious 12. See eye to eye 56. Light property 12. See eye to eye 35. Army repast 57. Cautionary beginning? repast 13. closing BackArmy street prowler 13.Important Important closing 37. 35. 57. Cautionary documents 41. 37. “Waterworld” star prowler Back street documents beginning?
By Lori Smith, an artist and vendor for Street Sense Media.
STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG
COMMUNITY SERVICES
SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento
(202) 399-7093
YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica
(202) 547-7777
1-800-799-7233
Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento
Education Educación
Health Care Seguro
Clothing Ropa
Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal
Case Management Coordinación de Servicios
Food Comida
Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo
Transportation Transportación
Showers Duchas
All services listed are referral-free Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org
Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 Eye St., NW fathermckennacenter.org
Bread for the City - 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 - 1700 Good Hope Rd., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org
Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org
Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Good Hope Rd., SE calvaryservices.org
Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave., NW friendshipplace.org
Catholic Charities // 202-772-4300 924 G St., NW 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
Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 Newton St., NW loavesandfishesdc.org
Charlie’s Place // 202-929-0100 1820 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org
Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.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 // 202-540-9857 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
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 // 202-529-5261 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org
N Street Village // 202-939-2076 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org
New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE
Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org
// 1 5
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento
1-888-793-4357
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
JOB BOARD Team Member Taco Bell // 3100 14th Street NW Full-Time Take orders and provide excellent customer service. Help prepare food and keep restaurant and kitchen clean. REQUIRED: 18+ APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/taco-bell-service
So Others Might Eat (SOME) // 202-797-8806 71 O St., NW some.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, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3946 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place NE, 810 5th Street NW, 850 Deleware Avenue SW, 65 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 4515 Edson Place NE
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St., NW // 202-328-5500 legalclinic.org
Food Runner PeopleReady // Washington, D.C. Full-Time Remove trash and debris from construction sites; help move materials; and assist in light construction when necessary. REQUIRED: Able to lift heavy objects, stand for long periods of time and work in all weather conditions. APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/peoplereadylabor
Food Service Worker The Catholic University of America // 620 Michigan Ave NE Full-Time, Part-Time Prepare and cook food; serve food and provide excellent customer service; and clean kitchen and cooking utensils. REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/food-service-cua
Cook I Casual Dining The Welcome Table // 202-347-2635 1317 G St., NW. epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable
Whitman-Walker Health 1525 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org
Last updated May 25, 2022
For further information and listings, gs, visit our online service guide at StreetSenseMedia.org/service-guide
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown // 3100 South Street NW Full-Time Prepare and cook hot and cold food by following recipes. Ensure the quality of food for guests. Communicate with kitchen staff and guests effectively. REQUIRED: Able to stand for long periods of time and lift at least 25 pounds. Able to reach overhead or bend knees to reach below. APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/cook-casual-dining
Hiring? Send your job postings to editor@StreetSenseMedia.org
ART
DANIEL BALL LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor
Artist/Vendor
KHADIJAH CHAPMAN Artist/Vendor
Thank you for reading Street Sense! From your vendor, JULY 20 - 26, 2022 VOLUME 19 ISSUE 35 NO CASH? NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE AN APP! SEARCH “STREET SENSE” IN THE APP STORE
WWW.INSP.NGO
4 million READERS
9,000 VENDORS
100+
STREET PAPERS
35
COUNTRIES
24
LANGUAGES