09.27.2023 by Street Sense Media

VOL. 20 ISSUE 39

SEPT. 27 - OCT. 10 , 2023

Real Stories

Real People

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Real Change

Repurposing a college dorm into a shelter

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what comes next for foggy bottom community @ STREETSENSEDC

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OUR STORY | NEWSROOM

n 2017, we began hosting a number of different workshops aimed at helping our vendors develop skills beyond writing for our newspaper. On any given day, our vendors are illustrating, painting, recording podcasts, taking photos, rehearsing plays, organizing advocacy groups and coming together as a community.

Street Sense Media is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news outlet. Decisions on news coverage begin and end within our editorial department. Neither our board of directors, our CEO, our funders and advertisers, nor our partner newsrooms hold sway over our coverage. We maintain a firewall between news decisions, opinion curation, sources of all revenue and any advocacy engaged in by non-journalism staff members or contractors.

COVER DESIGN BY WILL SCHICK, PHOTO BY ANNEMARIE CUCCIA

THE TEAM VENDORS Abel Putu, Aida Peery, Al Edmonson, Akindele Akerejah, Amia Walker, Amina Washington, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Antoinette Calloway, Archie Thomas, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Burton Wells, Carlos Carolina, Carol Motley, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders,

Daniel Ball, Darlesha Joyner, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon (Gigi) Dovonou, Denise Hall, Dominique Anthony, Don Gardner, Donté Turner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Dwayne Butler, Eric Glover, Eric Thompson-Bey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, Greta Christian, Harriet Fields, Henrieese

Roberts, Henry Johnson, Ivory Wilson, Jacqueline “Jackie” Turner, Jacquelyn Portee, James Davis, James Hughes, Jeanette Richardson, Jeff Taylor, Jeffery McNeil, Jeffrey Carter, Jemel Fleming, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jermale McKnight, Jet Flegette, Jewel Lewis, John Alley, John Littlejohn, Josie Brown, Juliene Kengnie, Kenneth Middleton, Khadijah Chapman, Kym Parker,

Laticia Brock, Laura Smith, Lawrence Autry, Levester Green, Lu Potter, L. Morrow, Mango Redbook, Marc Grier, Marcus McCall, Mars, Martin Walker, Mary Sellman, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Michael Warner, Michele Rochon, Morgan Jones, Nikila Smith, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Rachelle Ellison, Rashawn Bowser, Reginald Black, Reginald C. Denny,

Ricardo Meriedy, Richard “Mooney” Hart, Rita Sauls, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, Sasha Williams, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sybil Taylor, Tonya Williams Vennie Hill, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams, William Mack BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Coller Albert, Blake Androff, Nana-Sentuo Bonsu, Jonquilyn Hill, Stanley Keeve, Clare Krupin, Ashley McMaster,

Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Brian Carome DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Darick Brown DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT Thomas Ratliff

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Younger vendors

Fall back

PHILLIP BLACK Artist/Vendor

ANTHONY CARNEY Artist/Vendor

Welcome, younger vendors to Street Sense. Here are a few tips: I’ve seen some younger vendors selling water, selling candy, and a few vendors selling slices of pizza. Vendors can only sell Street Sense papers. If you want to sell water or food, you have to take your badge and your vest off. One vendor told me he has a license, so he can sell water and even t-shirts. I’m telling you right now, you can’t. Your vendor vest and license is for Street Sense papers only. People ask me sometimes, is my hat or my wig for sale. I always tell them no, my hat and wig are my logo. I thought about selling them a long time ago. But another vendor named Mark told me, no. He showed me the ins and outs of selling the paper. Believe me, it works. Now I am a HSTP – a highly skilled, trained professional. Most of the time, it’s not that easy. But you will get caught. Street Sense only. No socks, no candy, no sunflower seeds, no water, no hot dogs. Always obey the rules and you will be a better vendor.

Summer is almost gone, so it’s time to fall back! Fall is my favorite season. Do you remember what it feels like to fall in love in September? I do. It was with Gail Harris, my high school sweetheart. She was attractive and well-educated. And if loving Gail was wrong, I don’t want to be right. I’m going to be 60 on Oct. 6! I will have a party with my family and my friends. I want a nice gift, like a million dollars, so I can donate it to my homeless sisters and brothers. Please send donations to Anthony Carney via the Street Sense App or on Cash App to Anthony Carney $tntvendors63. To all my supporters: Thank you very much. Spread love.

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The office will be closed Monday, Oct. 9, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

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Find a list of farmers markets, the hours when case management is open and other info useful to vendors at streetsensemedia.org/ vendor-info.

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Let’s work on those paper sales together! Come see Thomas to learn how to accept Venmo and CashApp payments and how to use Twitter to let customers know where you’re selling at.

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Receive extra newspapers for referring someone you know to New Vendor Orientation. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 2 p.m.

BIRTHDAYS Darlesha Joyner Sept. 27

Jemel Fleming Sept. 29

ARTIST/VENDOR

Michael Craig Oct. 7

L. Morrow Sept. 28

Melody Byrd Sept. 29

Donté Turner Oct. 8

ARTIST/VENDOR

Andrew Anderson Sept. 28

Amina Washington Oct. 4

ARTIST/VENDOR

Richard “Mooney” Hart Sept. 28

Anthony Carney Oct. 6

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS Beverly Brown, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog,

EDITOR-INCHIEF Will Schick STAFF REPORTER Annemarie Cuccia

ARTIST/VENDOR

Madeleine McCollough, Dylan Onderdonksnow, Amelia Stemple, Tyler Bruno

EVENTS AT SSM

VENDOR WRITING

VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES Aida Peery, Clifford Samuels, Chon Gotti

MICHAEL STOOPS FELLOW Eliza DuBose ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE Ariane Mohseni (Film), Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Lalita Clozel

(Film), Willie Schatz (Writing), Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater) ARTS EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Austine Model OPINION EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Candace

Montague EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS Josh Axelrod, Ryan Bacic, Lilah Burke, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Lenika Cruz, Alison Henry, Kathryn Owens, Andrew Siddons, Bill Meincke, Jessica Webster,

Anne Eigeman, Micah Levey

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT Read this democratically elected code of conduct, by vendors, for vendors! 1.

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.

I understand that I am not an employee of Street Sense Media but an independent contractor.

While distributing the Street Sense newspaper, I will not ask for more than $2 per issue or solicit donations by any other means.

I will only purchase the newspaper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not distribute newspapers to other vendors.

“I will not distribute copies of “Street Sense” on metro trains and buses or on private property.”

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.

I will not sell additional goods or products while distributing “Street Sense.”

I will not distribute “Street Sense” under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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.”

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INTERNATIONAL

Marrakech artisans — who have helped rebuild the Moroccan city before — are among those hit hard in the earthquake’s devastation An academic writer who has been living and working in Marrakech on and off since 2014 gives an interesting perspective on the recent devastating Moroccan earthquake. Efforts to put the city back together will be stifled, she says, because the very artisans and local makers who conserve the city’s historical and cultural heritage have been disproportionately affected by the quake. BY ABBEY STOCKSTILL The Conversation

powerful earthquake that hit close to the medieval city of Marrakech in Morocco on Sept. 8, 2023, has killed thousands and injured many more. It has also put at risk buildings and monuments of major historic importance, among them the minaret of the Kutubiyya mosque, a 12th-century structure that is an icon of the city. The Medina, the medieval walled portion of the city, is now littered with rubble. The cultural significance of the Medina extends far beyond the antiques and trinkets sold to tourists. It is the location of numerous artisan workshops that make the ceramic tiles, carved plaster and intricate woodwork that decorate the city. Many of these workshops have maintained traditional methods for centuries, transmitting skill sets down through the generations. Part of Morocco’s bid for Marrakech’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) status was based on these craft traditions being “intangible cultural heritage,” which the U.N. describes as knowledge or skills that are passed down orally rather than in written form. I’ve been working in Marrakech since 2014, living there on and off as I completed research on a book about the development of Marrakech as a medieval metropolis. Although my work focused on the 12th century, the more I learned about the city, the more I realized that most of the urban fabric and architectural sites I was looking at were thanks to the conservation efforts of local workshops. The UNESCO designation was a historical acknowledgment of the traditions of poor and rural communities that can often get left out of larger conversations about art history. It is precisely these communities that have maintained Marrakech’s architectural heritage for generations, but the earthquake has destroyed the workshops and residences of many in the Medina. These poor and rural communities are at their most vulnerable just when their skills will be needed the most to help rebuild the city after this disaster.

Oral origins Marrakech was founded in 1070 by the Almoravid dynasty, which derived from a tribe that was part of a larger non-Arab confederation of peoples now referred to as Berbers. It was one of the first major cities in the wider Islamic west, known as the Maghrib — now comprising Morocco, Algeria and parts of Tunisia — to be founded by a group indigenous

to the region. The majority of the community spoke a dialect of Tamazight, an Afro-Asiatic language distinct from Arabic. It was primarily an oral language, meaning that knowledge was more commonly handed down via poetic stories rather than written texts. Some Arabic sources described the Almoravids as “unsophisticated” and “illiterate,” yet the evidence of their architectural and artistic heritage suggests otherwise. In Marrakech, they built an elegantly proportioned dome known as the Qubba al-Barudiyyin and commissioned the elaborate wooden minbar (pulpit) that now sits in the Badiʿ Palace Museum. They were followed by the Almohad dynasty, another largely indigenous group, which faced similar accusations in historical accounts despite building the Kutubiyya minaret, Marrakech’s signature monument.

“It will be the role of Marrakech’s intangible heritage — its artists and artisans — to rebuild after this disaster. In the midst of narratives about caliphs and sultans, philosophers and poets, it can be easy to forget that the people who built these places often went unnamed in the historical texts.” Abbey Stockstill

Site of independence movements The city’s origins as a Berber capital contributed to making Marrakech the epicenter of contemporary Moroccan national identity, rooted in a pride and independence centuries old. Whereas other North African cities had roots in Arab or

Roman tradition, Marrakech could claim to be distinctly Moroccan. In the face of Ottoman expansion in the 16th century, the kingdom of Morocco, based out of Marrakech, was the sole region of the Arabic-speaking world to maintain their autonomy from Turkish control. Although the French and the Spanish would compete for colonial rule of the country, the Moroccan independence movements of the 20th century were largely based out of Marrakech. The city was so prone to revolt that the French administration moved the colonial capital further north to Rabat. Even the word “Morocco” is derived from an etymological transmutation of “Marrakech.”

A hidden history And yet, recovering the city’s significant past is an exercise in reading between the lines. The oral traditions of the city’s founders were rarely faithfully transcribed. Written sources are often scattered and unpublished, and those that do exist are often written by outsiders or visitors to the city. The Ottomans were excellent record-keepers, enabling scholars to explore extensive centralized archives on every part of the Arabic world — except Morocco, whose archives remain dispersed and underfunded. Historians have had to work obliquely to uncover concrete details, relying on archaeological and anthropological research to supplement oral traditions. Integral to these efforts was the role of craft traditions in and around Marrakech. Craft was a key point of France’s colonial efforts in Marrakech, where they established “artisan schools” in the Medina to ostensibly document and preserve their methods. In doing so, the French Protectorate — which ruled the country from 1912 to 1956 — created a kind of living nostalgia within the Medina, conflating the people who actually lived there with the city’s medieval past. This effectively created a form of economic and social segregation in which craftsmen and their families were siloed into the old town, while the wealthier expatriates and tourists occupied the Ville Nouvelle outside the medieval walls.

Preserving the past through craft At the same time, these craft traditions are also what made

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A man walks past a damaged building in the historic city of Marrakech, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, Sept. 9, 2023. Photo by Jana Meerman/Handout

it possible to preserve and restore many of the sites in and around Marrakech that now draw thousands of tourists each year. The Qasba Mosque, the city’s “second” major mosque after the Kutubiyya and originally built between 1185 and 1189, underwent successive restorations in both the 17th and 21st centuries after political instability led to its decline. In both cases, local artisans were employed to renovate the mosque’s stucco walls and the mosaic tile work known as zellij. The 11th-century Almoravid pulpit required a team of Moroccan craftsmen to successfully restore the minbar’s intricate marquetry. Artisans have also been important ambassadors for Morocco’s place in the larger canon of Islamic art, building a courtyard as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2011 renovation of their Islamic galleries using 14th-century techniques and materials. With the Marrakech Medina partially destroyed, many of these artisans and workshops will face tough choices regarding their future. Gentrification over the last decade has priced many residents out of their ancestral homes, and many of these workshops operate on thin margins — too thin to both pay for damages and retain control over their property.

Rebuilding intangible heritage Parts of the city walls cracked in the earthquake, and an 18th-century mosque in the main square lost its minaret. The historic 12th-century site of Tinmal, not far from Marrakech and nestled in the Atlas Mountains, has also collapsed. The human toll of the earthquake is still being tallied, and the material damage is likely to be extensive. Nothing can replace the loss of life. Yet the history and resilience of a place are instrumental in any recovery. It will be the role of Marrakech’s intangible heritage — its artists and artisans — to rebuild after this disaster. In the midst of narratives about caliphs and sultans, philosophers and poets, it can be easy to forget that the people who built these places often went unnamed in the historical texts. But these artists will need support to maintain Marrakech’s history, to preserve the past for future historians to discover. Courtesy of The Conversation / International Network of Street Papers

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NEWS

A new law gave pregnant immigrants in Maryland free health care. Here’s how it’s going HÉCTOR ALEJANDRO ARZATE DCist/WAMU

bout once a month, Fatima Lazaro makes her way to a health care clinic not too far from her home in Prince George’s County. She signs in at the front desk then walks into a back room where she checks her own blood pressure. After jotting it down in a journal, she sits and waits for a nurse practitioner to call her name. Lazaro is about 32 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. She says she hasn’t landed on a name yet, though she and her boyfriend are leaning towards either Sophia or Paloma, which means dove in Spanish. “But we’re still completely undecided. I’ve heard a lot of parents have names in mind. And when it comes down to the moment, [then] it’s completely different,” says Lazaro, who was born in Mexico. This will be Lazaro’s first time giving birth, and she’s opted to join a support group for pregnant women. However, because she’s a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (known as DACA), she wasn’t eligible for federally funded health insurance aside from emergency Medicaid. That made her a little more worried about taking care of her child, she says, in addition to the costs. But this past July, Maryland enacted the Healthy Babies Equity Act. It’s a law that allows all pregnant people with an income of up to 250% of the federal poverty level — regardless of their immigration status — to become eligible for free health care coverage as soon as they know they’re pregnant. Once it took effect, Lazaro says staff at the clinic, CCI Health Services, helped her apply. “I knew that CCI was a program that helped many moms, many immigrants. And so I knew they would be able to help me out as well. I applied and I’m just waiting for the card basically,” says Lazaro. Once accepted for coverage, expecting mothers like Lazaro can receive both prenatal and postnatal care up to four months after giving birth. She also has access to dental and mental health care, as well as lab work, and prescription drug services without copays. “So now that’s a big, big, big relief to be able to take care —

Sherlyn Hernandez leads a breathing and stretching exercise at the start of an educational session for pregnant people at CCI Health Services in Greenbelt, Md. Photos by Tyrone Turner / DCist/WAMU

even better — of myself and the baby,” she continues. Lidia Rodriguez says she’s been coming to CCI for about five years — since she was pregnant with her previous child — and was in a program that offers prenatal care as well as educational sessions on everything including labor, nutrition, breastfeeding and postpartum depression. The program also provides participants with free baby necessities like diapers and strollers. The cost ranges from $2,000 to $2,500, according to staff at CCI, but patients can enroll with insurance or by setting up a payment plan. Rodriguez says she appreciates the attention that staff has for her and her baby’s health. But the change in eligibility for healthcare coverage has been a huge benefit to her and her family. “It’s very good because it helps us a lot, because having a

On a prompt from nurse practitioner Leena Daniel, the women line up on the scale of one to ten according to how prepared they feel for going through childbirth. They were having a baby shower for the moms where they gave each other presents.

baby is quite expensive,” says Rodriguez, who was born in Guatemala. In addition to meeting with health care professionals during these sessions, Lazaro and Rodriguez, also now enrolled, practice breathing exercises, have open conversations about their anxiety and get to build genuine bonds with the rest of the group. This month, they hosted a baby shower and gift exchange for everyone. “They actually build a friendship — some groups even make their own WhatsApp group,” says Sherlyn Hernandez, who facilitates as the maternal and child health programs coordinator for CCI Health Services. Although this group was initially a bit shy, says Hernandez, they are much more comfortable now that they don’t have to worry about paying for the prenatal package. Along with

Sherlyn Hernandez, left, maternal and child health programs coordinator, talks with Valeria Lopez, 2, and her mom, Mirna Lopez.

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saving on diapers and other prenatal gifts, Hernandez says the mothers don’t even have to worry about driving to the clinic because they have access to transportation services if needed. “Out of the 10, seven are fully insured and three of them are waiting for their insurance to arrive. So we have a fully insured group now compared to what we didn’t have, which is really good because now they don’t have to worry about anything,” says Hernandez. Nurse practitioner Leena Daniel says the change in law to provide comprehensive care for patients at the clinic has been very beneficial. She says it’s that much easier to schedule ultrasounds or to follow up with maternal fetal medicine for high risk patients. “It’s so great to see that patients are getting more and more benefits to have accessible health care,” says Daniel. In the roughly two months since coverage went live for pregnant immigrants in Maryland, the state has seen sizable enrollment. Although it has not yet reached the initial estimate of 6,000 eligible people in its first year, there are already over 3,700 participants according to Ryan Moran, a deputy health secretary and the healthcare financing and Medicaid director for Maryland. “We are seeing an extraordinarily positive impact,” says Moran. “And specifically that positive impact is shown in terms of individuals, participants, enrolling as part of Healthy Babies coverage.” According to Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, who was a lead sponsor for the bill (HB 1080 — which passed in 2022 but was delayed by a year for implementation), top enrollment numbers for the new coverage are coming from Montgomery County, followed by Prince George’s County, then Baltimore City, each of which has a large population of immigrant communities. With expanded access to health care coverage, Peña-Melnyk says that the state can better address health disparities and maternal mortality rates, particularly among Black and brown women. But she says it’s also important, because without health care many undocumented people often have no other option but to give birth in an emergency room. Peña-Melnyk says that’s not just a bad deal for moms and their babies, but it cost Maryland hospitals between $120 and $150 million dollars last year alone. “I’m hoping that we get every woman, undocumented immigrant that qualifies to apply so that they can have access to care. So they can have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Because in the end, we will all pay for it if they do not,” says Peña-Melnyk, who is also the current chair for the Maryland Health and Government Operations Committee. Leidi Garcia, the senior manager for the department of health and social services at CASA (a Maryland-based advocacy group that fought for the bill’s passage), says it’s crucial to continue raising awareness of the program — a sentiment that both Moran and Peña-Melnyk similarly echoed. “It’s on us and the entire community of providers and community clinics and social workers, school teachers, that we share this information: that no matter their immigration status right now, they should have access to the program,” says Garcia. For Lazaro, who is due to give birth in a matter of weeks, the access to free healthcare has been what she calls a blessing. Without it, she says she wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things — like listen to her baby’s healthy heartbeat during her recent visit to the clinic. “I did always have different goals in mind but now I have her included for everything, and hearing her heartbeat just makes me feel like I have to go that much harder for her,” she says.

Leena Daniel, left, women’s health nurse practitioner, checks patient Fatima Lazaro.

This story was originally published by DCist/WAMU. Lidia Rodriguez, right, hugs Sandra Cortez Ruiz as they exchange gifts during the baby shower.

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NEWS

After months of conflict over the new Foggy Bottom shelter, vendors share their vision for the facility ELIZA DUBOSE Michael Stoops Fellow

C. is converting a former George Washington University dorm into a homeless shelter after purchasing the building in mid-August. The shelter, which is expected to open this fall, will be the first of its kind in the District. The planned location of the shelter in the affluent Foggy Bottom neighborhood initially stirred some controversy. Though the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) supported the District's plan, some property owners near the shelter filed a lawsuit to prevent the sale. The lawsuit was withdrawn last month after the building was sold. To alleviate community concerns that the shelter will negatively impact housed residents, D.C.’s Department of Human Services (DHS), which will operate the shelter, agreed to form a community advisory team to consolidate and deliver feedback to the agency from area residents. The team, once formed, will include ANC officials, members of neighborhood civic organizations, representatives from the Bowser administration and two representatives of “homeless service stakeholders.” However, internal arguments have stalled the process of forming the team, with no immediate plans to resume talks after a meeting in July devolved into arguing amongst the ANC. The facility in Foggy Bottom will be the first non-congregate shelter dedicated to adult families and chronically ill people whose needs aren’t addressed in other shelters. Generally, adults going into shelters are segregated into male and female facilities, which can separate couples or parents with adult children. At the Aston, however, these families will be allowed to stay together. Each person will also share a room with only one other person, unlike in D.C.’s other singles shelters, where dozens of people may sleep in the same room, which some people experiencing homelessness say makes them feel unsafe. The District hopes the design of the shelter will encourage people who have avoided shelters until now to move inside The Aston will also offer consistent medical services that are essential for people managing chronic conditions, a resource that is not common at other shelters in D.C. The COVID-era shelters targeted at a similar medically vulnerable population are set to close this fall. As the city presses forward with its plans to build the shelter and solicit community feedback, area residents with direct experience with homelessness are thinking about what D.C. could do to ensure the new shelter is successful. Street Sense caught up with a few to ask them about the situation.

Frederic John

Jet Flegette

Walking through the neighborhood he now lives in, Frederic John can see the window his mother peered out of after she gave birth to him in what used to be the Columbia Hospital (it's now an apartment complex). While John found housing more than a decade ago, he also spent some of the time he was homeless in Foggy Bottom. John says that having a shelter in Foggy Bottom will help alleviate tensions in the neighborhood and amongst unhoused people in the area. He is excited about the prospect of having a shelter dedicated to the medically vulnerable unhoused community. He pointed out that everyone will feel safer without having to roam around trying to have their medical needs addressed. A study by the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council found that in some cities, over 50% of deaths amongst the unhoused population were unsheltered at the time of death. Health conditions that require medication can also be deadly if untreated for people experiencing homelessness. In New York City, for example, cardiovascular disease made up 28% of deaths, according to the study. But John emphasized that meaningful health care cgoes beyond providing a person with medication, “They might be given a pill but they are not getting any long-term benefits from these programs,” he said. John says that shelters need to be places where people can gain a sense of dignity through interacting with well-trained, kind staff and programs that emphasize addressing essential needs. Starting in October 2022, “homelessness status” is protected under The Human Rights Enhancement Act, barring discrimination by potential employers, housing, educational institutions or governmental services. For John, a sense of equality and dignity can start in a mundane place. “A long, long time ago, I was going to a couple of shelters and it was miserable, you know, that was just basically just shoved this evening and shoved out in the morning, I couldn't even eat a sandwich from there.” He thinks real dignity can start there, with food. “I think there are medicinal qualities to eating some food,” he said, “Just the act of making breakfast really helps all your processes.” He also thinks having a well-trained staff is essential, “We should have people who are trying to help assuage the residents that they'll be looked after. And if they have problems, they

While some business owners and residents are concerned about the shelter’s impact on the overall safety of the neighborhood, Jet Flegette is concerned about the safety of those who will eventually live in the shelter. When Flegette stayed in shelters in and around Foggy Bottom, she said she often felt disrespected and was even physically threatened on several occasions. “That's what I don't want to see [in a shelter], a bully,” Flegette said. “I've seen it too many times.” For Flegette, disrespectful staff and harsh punishments in shelters can quickly make places that are supposed to feel like sanctuaries feel like more prisons. She cautioned future members of the community advisory team that big openings and beautiful ribbon cuttings mean nothing if a shelter has a staff that isn’t prepared to work with and respect its residents. “The ribbon cutting is always so nice… it’s a beautiful shot and it looks beautiful outside but it's about the people that run it.” Flegette acknowledged shelter staff must have the authority to handle difficult situations including mental health crises. But they have to be able to discern which residents need that kind of intervention. “People entering the shelter are not okay, especially because you'll get some crazy dude and a woman with a knife,” she said. “You got to know when to, you know, take action in that type of situation… If [a resident is] following the rules and doing her thing… there is no reason to be a bully,” she said. In building the new shelter, Flegette emphasized the need for planners to empower residents by giving them more than just a space to sleep for the night. “Yeah, [a shelter] is a place to stay, to lay your head, but the object is to figure out your plan,” she said. The city has a goal that residents will stay at the Aston for three to five months. Flegette says that prolonged debates about who should serve on the community advisory team detract from the bigger picture — how to solve homelessness — and only work to further disenfranchise unhoused citizens, who already have low trust in their local leaders. She wished the focus was on selecting people to represent unhoused people in the endless debates, “[There need to be] someone that has actually experienced homelessness, they should be a part of that somehow. Because these regular folks that have never experienced such a thing,” she said.

The Aston. Photo by Annemarie Cuccia

can go to somebody and let them know it's bothering them,” he said. He points to Miriam’s Kitchen, a homeless service provider in Foggy Bottom, as a good example of what good food and services can do for a community but says that they can’t do everything to get people back on their feet. There are other resources in the area that Aston residents will be able to access. ANC 2A01 Commissioner Yannik Omictin said in an interview that Foggy Bottom is ideally situated for a shelter, with its abundant grocery stores, library, easy access to public transportation, and proximity to medical facilities. “All of that should be accessible to all people of D.C., not just to the people who can afford to buy property in the West End,” Omictin said.

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MARC GRIER Artist/Vendor

Robert Warren Robert Warren has long worked to advocate for the rights of people experiencing homelessness, He has worked with Miriam’s Kitchen for 15 years and helped found the People for Fairness Coalition, a group of advocates with lived expereince of homelessness. He said running a successful shelter is all about the process. Warren wants the community advisory team and DHS to focus on actively working with residents to ensure that the shelter serves as a stepping stone to their own home and future. “We need to stop relegating people to poverty,” he said. Specifically, Warren says shelters like the one planned at the Aston should consider addressing holistic wellness. He wants to see assistance for shelter residents every step of the way from health and recovery, to workshops, to a robust support staff, and making sure that residents are well versed in services such as the client assistance program, which will familiarize them with what benefits they’re entitled to. He believes it shouldn’t take much longer than 90 days to get people started on recovery. Above all, Warren hopes that he sees equity centered at the new shelter. He says too often he sees long-term Black residents overlooked for programs. “I don’t want a guy from West Virginia to live and die on the streets. But long-term Black residents have been doing that for years,” he explained. He believes that those who have experienced being unhoused need to have their voices prioritized as the construction of the shelter goes forward. “We have a saying, ‘Nothing about us, without us,’” he said.

JEMEL FLEMING Artist/Vendor

CARLOS CAROLINA Artist/Vendor

AMINA WASHINGTON Artist/Vendor

The Foggy Bottom Metro stop. Photo by Niagara/Wikimedia Commons

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OPINION

How to deal with people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) BY JEFFERY MCNEIL

I often compare a friend or relative suffering from (TDS) Trump Derangement Syndrome to Skip Bayless — the famed sports columnist, who scored an average of 1.4 points per game on his high school basketball team. Bayless — who has no professional basketball experience — still has the nerve to call the man who scored 38,652 points in the NBA, Lebron James, a “washed-up ex-jock” who needs to retire. The TDS sufferers are like armchair quarterbacks who have never done a pushup or sit up, but criticize the athlete who plays against the stiffest competition in the world. I get not liking Donald Trump, but you have to respect someone who dealt with governors, mayors, Wall Street and the Federal Reserve. Every prosecutor wants to jail him, and every institution wants to destroy him. The man has dealt with everything from despotic leaders, such as Kim Jong Un from North Korea and Xi Jinping from China, and has staved off nuclear armageddon with Iran. He has also battled with the likes of Klaus Schwab and Bill Gates. While people with TDS call Trump supporters “deplorable,” many of his detractors have no original criticism. They love to talk about how Trump meddled in the elections. But how exactly did Trump meddle in the elections? Many people in Washington, D.C. are infected with TDS. Although comical, it is rather pathetic that his most prominent critics never hired, managed or did a payroll. Yet, they are somehow experts on Trump's finances. Donald Trump was a man who made billions, lost billions, hired people and lifted people out of poverty to middle-class incomes. Washington, D.C. is the eyewall of TDS. The worst are the gun control advocates who seem not to understand why we can and should carry weapons. They love blathering on about why assault weapons should be banned. I try following their insanity. It’s hard to untangle their arguments. The same people who want to defund police want to take guns away from American citizens. This means the only people allowed to have guns will be the government, police and military. It’s basic math: fewer guns mean more power for the government. Under this arrangement, they would have more control over your liberties. Why do people want to argue for the government to have more power over you? The same people who lecture us on climate also swear that Donald Trump is a misogynist bigot. But many Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and poor whites see the indictments on Trump as similar to when our FBI spied on Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and planted lies about Fred Hampton, leading to the 21-year-old man's assassination. Yet, history never told how the CIA paved the way for crack to infiltrate Black neighborhoods, which the Black community never

Back again CHRIS COLE Artist/Vendor

My feet are on the ground. I am present. I am not lost, but I need to be found. Found and taught to meditate, To view silence as sound. Hear the birds, crickets and cicadas chirp. It’s August 7, and I had a glimpse of life with me no longer around. Spared, anointed and chosen, I can’t believe God let me live (again)... I’ve got something to say, nothing to hide! Stare at me…in my hopeful, big brown eyes. Today I declare that drugs will not win. Call Louie, call Austin, everybody, phone a friend. Tell ‘em Chris Cole got sober…she’s back again! Follow Chris Cole at @hotchokolat

Donald Trump. Photo by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons

recovered from, according to reporting first done by investigative journalist Gary Webb. This is why I’d rather not get into an argument with those suffering from TDS. They're like babies with rattle tantrums but no solutions. I get if you hate Trump, but offer something besides calling him names. As with Skip Bayless, can you argue with TDS sufferers? I learned the hard way that the best way to deal with TDS sufferers is to ignore them. Instead of getting mad, leave them and find a happy home. Jeffery McNeil is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Bring Street Sense to life BY ABEL PUTU Artist/Vendor

We need to make an effort to understand each other. Instead of separating and isolating from one another, we need to come together. That way, we will have love. Now, it’s not normal to be together. With the pandemic, everything is virtual. We are all separated. Coming together will make the world better. We need more events for people to come together. Street Sense can host more events so people can all be together in person. The photography book launch was great. Maybe we can have a 5K to raise awareness, too. With that, we also need Street Sense branded products — like shirts, coffee mugs and pens. This would spread the word of our mission.

My nickname DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

My name is Daniel, but my nickname is Fire Ball. So you can laugh now, if you want to. Many of my friends know I used to smoke drugs. But since I found Jesus, I don’t need to smoke drugs no more. Most of my Street Sense friends know I go to all the classes except one, Women’s Workshop. So, please come to Street Sense and become a Street Sense vendor too! Good luck to you.

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

Being around the wrong crowd VENNIE HILL Artist/Vendor

Being around the wrong crowd or even a negative person can spoil you. You know, people with the wrong behaviors are the ones that get you into places that you don't want to end up like: jails, institutions and graveyards. I don't know about you, but I hate to be in any of those places. There's other ways of self-sabotage such as getting in your own way. This happens when you do not take the time to process, when you do not get to the root of the problem by not thinking it through. I find myself dead in the water when I lose myself. How about when you allow negativity to get in your way? It's not even yours to fall on, but it's always yours when you fall on it and fall for it. How about when a friend says, “Come on, girl. Let's go to the bar,” but you are in recovery and you go anyway? You tell yourself, “I'm not going to pick up,” but then it goes from that thought to another thought: “I'm just going to drink one,” but the next morning you wake up and you don't know where you've been, or how you got home. Now you feel like shit. Now, you need something all over again to make yourself feel a little

Giving what I can RIB GOURMAND

I sprinkle my extra breadcrumbs Local birds always like the wheat. Yet it's hard to share any food When so uncertain where I'll eat. Regardless, I pass it forward We all seek meals throughout the day. Better to make predictable Then one of us has time to play. We enjoy the same benefits With a consistent place to sleep. Full energy to seize the day Our future quests will feel less steep.

better than you do. Well, you begin to numb yourself again thinking that your problems will go away. But they don't. When it comes back, you feel like shit. Now you're beginning to repeat the cycle. You think you're getting better when all the while, you're getting worse. Then there’s the stinking thoughts, the thinking you're getting away with something. Because you think no one knows what you're doing. It’s only you. You think nobody can tell. “I still have a job and a roof over my head,” you say to yourself. Yet, you haven't paid the bills in a long time. Last but not least, you may be overwhelmed or may be overdoing it. That means you’re doing too much at one time. I felt this sabotage. My biggest self-sabotage is my biggest problem. I do it all the time, thinking I can do everything at once. It is where I put extremely too much on my plate to eat. It means having too much to handle at one time. Now I'm getting tired, overwhelmed with things and not getting enough me-time. There is no nutritional balance, no taking medicine, no sleep. I can say it. Keep your eyes on this one. It's a very tricky one. Take your time to do the things that you need to do, but do it in an extremely timely fashion. Be patient and be strong. Till next time, stay safe and stay clean.

Beat the streets poem ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor

Beat the streets, let me tell you one more time, Street Sense papers are number one. Beat the heat, drink all the water and liquids you can. But keep your papers dry. Beat the heat, eat all the vegetables and fruits you can. What is the temperature around us? I don’t know, it’s hot. The sky is orange. The air is polluted. Be careful if you go outside. When it rains, all we think about is the summer sun. Forget about the heat waves, they are not fun. Beat the heat and beat the streets. Ms. Kaela left and no one can take her space. Our love and peace goes with her as she gets through the summer time. Beat the heat, beat the streets, There’s no one on the street like her. This poem is for Ms. Kaela who used to work at Street Sense Media.

July and August WARREN STEVENS Artist/Vendor

The hot weather in July and August came and passed already. My son and I keep in touch. This summer, I went to the pool around the corner from where I live, the water was cool. I floated and swam in it. When I get the chance, I work out. This past summer, I stayed indoors to keep away from the heat. My girlfriend and I made cold cuts and salads to stay cool before winter time. There was Labor Day in September, people came together, grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken. They had nice holiday feasts. The kids went swimming at the pool. I checked in on my sister and her family on Labor Day. Love you all. Stay safe.

Dear diary JACQUELINE TURNER Artist/Vendor

You are a star today, feeling happy and content. You all know how it might feel, how it feels to have health problems and to be weak and weary. You are thinking about getting old. You think about your friends and family and life through the good times and the bad. Perhaps you smile, because if nothing else, it was a fun trip. Then you start to think about what you have to be thankful for: family, travel, learning, meeting people. These are all parts of life that carry you through difficult times. Your faith is part of carrying you through difficult times. You should never doubt yourself. And you will always be a star.

12 / / S TR E E T S E NSE M ED IA // SEPT. 27 - O C T. 10, 2023

ART

Hi everyone

The sun

LADY SASHA Artist/Vendor

QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE Artist/Vendor

I enjoy seeing y'all faces when I can. Eboni is now in the fifth grade, and Onyx is now in the first grade. It has been about 10 years since I came to Street Sense. I enjoy the workshops here. And I am thankful that I still get the support I need from all the staff. I’m hoping that they keep the workshops. There is something for everyone. I am excited for more to come and am hoping to do podcasting

The sun is not fun Tree leaves just don’t blow Keeping cool somewhere Seasons will change soon Too many dread winter The Earth must prepare

in the future. I am thankful for the outlet that Street Sense Media has given artist/vendors over the years. And I hope we can get back to doing audience engagement. I miss the forum planning committee; it was a really great opportunity for me to work on event planning skills. We had a panel two or three times per year. The topics were nice and we were doing good for the community. Everyone that volunteered was spectacular. I like the Women’s Workshop. Now that Maria is leaving, I have an idea for an Art Therapy Workshop. Creating stuff is my thing, and everyone can enjoy.

Winter, spring, summer, fall We must put up with them all Wait for each of them

Part IV, Connect the dots: Salvaging the wreckage REGINALD DENNY Artist/Vendor

“There’s a storm out on the ocean and it’s moving this old way if your soul’s not anchored in Jesus it will surely drift away” - Michael Ross, “There’s a Storm Out” I make it my heart’s content daily to thank God for his divine power, protection and direction that keeps me anchored in him so I do not get swayed by every wind of doctrine hurled in my direction. As he says in Corinthians, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (flesh and blood) but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10). Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. The real battle takes place in our minds. So, as the Bible says, we must be ever so careful about what we take into our eye sockets and our ear gates because it immediately ends up in our minds and our hearts, which in turn can cause destruction and calamity in our daily lives. The people with whom we hang around, the places we go, as well as the conversations we entertain will eventually begin to shape and mold us into who and what we are becoming: the good, the bad and the ugly. We cannot continue to be governed by negative, external stimuli that we will contend with during the course of a normal day. We will have to exercise good judgment daily about what things we absorb and allow to infiltrate our psyches. The adversary is always on the prowl to download negative, ungodly foolishness into the

hard drive of the mind, where the battle of good and evil is truly waged. In Peter 5:7-9, God says the enemy is on the “prowl like a roaring lion seeking someone it may devour.” So let us not become a tragedy. We must keep our armor on at all costs if we expect to progress to whatever we aspire to accomplish in the life we have left. Hold on to the grace of God, for it is insurmountable and his power envelops you, which is part of your power to grow. I remember it as if it were yesterday, the sounds and sights of things pleasing to the spirit, the melodious resounding of the birds singing ever so sweetly and watching the dancing and swaying of the butterflies’ smooth movements through the cool breeze. It makes me think of the Barbra Streisand song where she sings, “Can it be that it was all so simple then, or has time rewritten every line? And if we had the chance to do it all again, just tell me, would we? Could we?” Those memories! At the corners of my mind…of the way we were. “Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind.” Yes, I had some good days and I had some bad days. Yet still, I do not feel it necessary to complain. The sweet fragrance of crushed roses invigorates me, knowing that it is not until I have been hard-pressed on every side that the aroma of victory is brought to fruition. So, I recommend to those of us who are God's children that we keep fighting the good fight of faith, knowing ultimately the conclusion is...we win! God is our fortress, protector and shield!

Have a nice day

716

MELODY BYRD Artist/Vendor

TONYA WILLIAMS Artist/Vendor

I feel okay about my life. Is there a way to think about death but not feel sad? No, I don’t think so. Do you need to wait to be much older to discover what you love? Yes, I think so.

When I first started Street Sense, it was very interesting meeting and talking to people and hearing what others have to say about Street Sense. They always have good things to say. The organization gave me the opportunity to do what I like and that is being a vendor for Street Sense. And I will continue to support Street Sense as a vendor.

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

Lone survivor LORI SMITH Artist/Vendor

My mother was like a deer fawn, the way her limbs and tall, lithe body stretched out like twigs. Her raven jet black hair had a slight curl to it that betrayed her, along with her green eyes. Easily absorbing the southern reaches of sun in her darker complexion, she was not so "pure." Not one, not the other, a living testimony of foreign men that had laid eyes on my ancestors' dark shades of braided hair and skin and found lust in their hearts. What was not theirs, they took. The resulting differences divorced us instantly from the heart of our people. We no longer belonged. We were permanently cast to the "others," who didn't see us as fully human either. Somewhere in between we have drifted, all this time. Are we a new human? A different human? Human at all? Family became everything. Good or bad, cruel or harsh, for better or worse, this new line of human beings continued, mixing ingredients that had never known each other before, a new recipe with no name in creation. The Creator looks over all of us, speaking to those others even as we are spoken to. They have a creation story they speak of, do they feel it too? The Creator loves variety, these new beings must be part of it? They will find their place and make a way, won't they? My mother, so much pride, and so much shame, all at once. My mother, my mother's mother, and her mother, and the mother before, all bring shame. They are cast down in it, and perpetual humiliation. "Is this all there is?" my mother cries. My white father thinks she is referring to their lack of money and material wealth, that she can never be satisfied, that this is her God, like theirs, and they are wanting. They do not feel this kind of deeper pain. A pain that extends well beyond herself, backwards in time, that is the birthright she nurtures in the next

generation and the next. This pain is so great, my mother must give it, it cannot be denied. Like a beast, it has her, and in her struggle, all we are is forgotten, there is only survival. It does this to her as it did to those before, just as it ripped her own family apart, her own children from her, orphaning children, enslaving them and casting everyone far from each other. The parasitic roots of this thing took hold in our ancestor, who creation seeded with the strength to wander the paths of Southwest Kentucky, barely able to toddle, blending for refuge in the bushes, trembling from the trauma of bloodshed and violence, trails of tears and loss, her parents among them. Be strong through this, do not let them hear you. Cry quietly, cry silently. You are our seed in creation, survive. This pain is so great, it cannibalizes her own children, consumes their hearts, rips her children's children from their arms, their wombs. This pain must be heard. This pain must be manifested. It must be voiced! Is it ancestor? Is it mother? Like a thread through time, it connects each of us, I feel it pulling all the way back, I feel my mother tugging at me, trying to pull me in, but I resist, I will not be consumed. In silent violence, our family is eviscerated, stretched out like a game carcass. Our shocked hearts on display, the eyes permanently open to confused torture that we can never unsee. My mother always carried the scent of flowers. When she came close to me, she radiated a softness. An illusion, like her scent. My mother always wore Chanel #5. I did not know this. Not even her smell was what I thought, not even her softness. It was a facade covering a harsh and cold heart underneath, that eternally cried for itself and held no love, no hugs, none of the affections that I hoped for, just the duty and obligations she was indentured to, like each of her mothers before her. Each of

I love Mr. Timmons LATICIA BROCK Artist/Vendor

The reason why I take my homeless life so seriously Is because the people that’s supposed to care for us Like Muriel Bowser, she makes me furious It’s not even the things that people need to be doing for themselves It’s about the food resources They feed us from the truck Get pushed under the shelves Hard beans, hard corn and hard cornbread That’s all served in jail Wish I can take all three terms The mayor served back Because you made a statement To Mr. Timmons About 221 homeless on the streets Coming from Tent City, Ma Muriel, why you lie like that? You need to get down on your knees and repent Tent City Ma I love Mr. Timmons

us have been ugly, as she was, all the way back. My mother carries a cold, hard stare for me. I am a mother, too. I best know my place, as she knew hers. She is the eldest. I will get my birthright, as she received hers, a bleeding crown. How dare we believe we can heal. How dare we do better than her. She embraced the beast, the wendigo, the "other," and it will win. It will not be our generation. It will be hers. "I will rip you from your family. I will rip you from your parents. I will tear your children from you. You will be in my image, we will construct you, part you, reassemble you." They say they feel the Creator. They say "God" and that they feel God. They mistake this for acting as God, believe they are gods, and on par with the Creator. They take creation’s work, and plagiarize, engineer, in their own image, according to their own will, a bastardization. The wendigo springs forth in its place. My children, my children...what have they done? What has she done? Mother deer fawn, you have become the wendigo. How often have I begged you, mother, free yourself from the snare, free us, free your children, free HER, free our ancestors. Where IS your Creator? Why do you not feel your roots? Your family? Your ancestor? As I have and do? We cry for justice. We weep for our mother. My children weep for their mother, as I did for you, but you looked on, without expression. An empty, walking shell that looked like my mother, but was not. Your heart had been consumed already. They are but children, mother...my children, my children… Mother deer fawn, stop eating us. She wears the fawn's skin, but she is hungry with a hole in her stomach that can never be filled. A wendigo ate my family. It consumed my mother, my children, everyone. I am the only survivor.

Nine to five MARS Artist/Vendor

Never again. Management is not for me. On several occasions, I've been promoted. In my most recent position I had 25 people working under me. Being in management is like being a babysitter. It's easy to hire them and tough to fire them. If and when I return to the workforce, I would prefer to be a low man on the totem pole. Less responsibility equals less stress and a happier life.

September SYBIL TAYLOR Artist/Vendor

September. We welcome you, the change of season after Labor Day. You are the end of the barbeques and cookouts and good swims. We enjoyed those morning summer walks, listening to the buzzing of the bees and seeing the blooming flowers. I love hearing the birds chirping at 5 a.m. before sunrise. We are now into fall. Leaves are changing colors, falling from trees and are now turning red, orange and brown. With the crisp air, more squirrels and chipmunks and possums are out gathering nuts. What a lovely time for us to put on jackets and hats. It will soon be very cold in the mornings. I hope you all enjoy fall. Here is a great September playlist song: "September” by Earth Wind and Fire.

14 / / S TR E E T S E N SE M ED IA // SEPT. 27 - O C T. 10 2023 CROSSWORD

FUN & GAMES

Not Everyone’s Cat’s Meow

Puzzle by Patrick “Mac” McIntyre 2

Across

SOLUTION: Don’t Get Flared Up! LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE ____ Issue SOLUTION

1. A month in Italy 5. Make ____ of oneself (overindulge in a sloppy fashion) (2 wds.) (1,3) 9. What it takes two to do, per an old adage 14. Asia’s shrinking ___ Sea 15. Mr. T’s real last name 16. Headphone-style option with Dr. Dre Beats and other brands (2-3) 17. Like a magazine before its initial publication or an intellectually bankrupt political party 19. “Wowie!” alternative 20. First-rate 21. Astonished texter’s initialism 23. Thus far 24. “All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes” writer Maya 26. Dedicated lines 27. Diagonally...or a hint to help in solving four shadowy areas of this puzzle (5-6) (NOT TRICKERY anagram) 30. Parts of some car deals 32. Bout enders, in brief (abbr./initialism) 35. Eat 36. Editorial changes of heart 39. “Over in this spot” 40. Slammin’ Sammy of the MLB whose Hallof-Fame campaign ended unsuccessfully 41. “Uh oh, runnin’ behind. Seeya later!” (2 wds.) (5,3) 43. What prosecutors level against criminal defendants. 47. Shaker ___, O. (abbr.) 49. ____ City (capital of the fictional Oz, and Seattle nickname) 50. Lighter and pen name brand 51. Adams, Baker or Rainier in Washington State, e.g. (abbr.) 52. February 29 (2 wds.) (4,3) 57. Chilling words (2,3) 59. Legally take a Porsche out without paying, in a way (4,5) 61. ____ secret (conferred surreptitiously) (2 wds.) (3,2) 62. Lummox 63. Bad to the bone 64. “Blue ____” (classic hit covered by Roy Orbison and Linda Ronstadt) 65. Hockey legend Phil, to fans 66. Ardor

Down 1. But for the French 2. At one time, at one time 3. Enclosure with a MS. (abbr./initialism) 4. Ab follower on the Hebrew calendar 5. Mythical continent 6. Henrik Ibsen drama (2 wds.) (4,4) 7. Form 1040 org. (abbr./initialism) 8. Abandon the group to sing and play on your own (2 wds.) (2,4) 9. One may “shoot” nerf bullets or darts (2 wds.) (3,3) 10. Twelve 1-Acrosses 11. Big Apple denizens (2 wds.) (3,7) 12. Looked intently 13. Speechify 18. Carry away, in a way 22. Neighbor of Alg. (abbr.)

14 17

22 28 31

39 46 50

56 61 64

C H

29 32

A 62

T A

51 54

59 63 66

49 52

25.“Popeye” cartoonist (1,1,5) (incls. initials) 27. Midwest metropolis associated with Mahomes and the Chiefs (6,4) 28. Something to shoot for 29. Actor Hawke 30. QBs’ goals (abbr.) 31. Brazilian city, familiarly 33. Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist (abbr./ initialism) 34. Rep.’s counterpart in bi-cameral legislatures (abbr.) 37. Calculates the sum of the items on a bill (2 wds.) (6,2) 38. Kind of heel or knife 42. Inscription on a June greeting card (2 wds.) (2,3) 44. Starting item commonly asked for “s’il vous plait?” in Paris restaurants, perhaps (2 wds.) (2,4) 45. 911 responder (abbr./initialism) 46. Washer setting 47. Nuclear weapon since 1952 (1-4) 48. ____ pedis (athlete’s foot) (ATE IN anagram) 53. With “the,” slangy title for a POTUS 54. Submarine command 55. Sports shoe brand 56. Rebel ____ (a shout from Dixieland) 58. A.F.L.’s partner 60. Dawn goddess

*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.

29 32

31 36

37 41

38 42

50 57

19 21

P H

33 38

A G

H R

N 36

A T

51 58

Seen through crying eyes like a blur NIKILA SMITH Artist/Vendor

The sky reeks of the smell of rain. A hurricane sends winds powerful enough to still the pain in people, yet it focuses on her, a young woman, weeping. It hovers over her place. It stands still. An untouchable hand knocks on her window. It is the arm of a tree tapping. The woman’s weeping has brought forth this storm. Her longing tells the length of her hair. She's balled up on her bed, caressing her head. Her sheets are wrinkled from sleep. Before laying, they were so crisp. The storm is trying to change her mood, match her emotions. It is feeding off her energy. Its thunder is like anger. The storm is taking it out on everyone.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

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

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

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

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

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW foundryumc.org/idministry Identification services Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave., NW friendshipplace.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Laundry Lavandería

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

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

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

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

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

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

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JOB BOARD Housekeeper

The Hay-Adams // 800 16th St. NW Full-time Make guest room beds, set up amenities, conduct special room cleanings and report issues to maintenance. REQUIRED: High school education preferred. Must be able to read and write English and do basic math including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. APPLY: tinyurl.com/hay-adams-housekeeping

Clean Up/Debris Removal Worker People Ready // Washington, D.C. Part-time Basic cleaning around residences and office buildings REQUIRED: Ability to lift up to 30 pounds and reach, bend and carry items. APPLY: tinyurl.com/debris-removal-peopleready

Line Cook

University Club of Washington, D.C. // 1135 16th St. NW Full time

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

Prepare food for broiling, frying, grilling, sauteeing or other cooking methods. REQUIRED: N/A

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

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

APPLY: tinyurl.com/line-cook-university-club

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

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

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

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