VENDOR WRITING
Many of us witness homelessness, but very few of us are willing to do something about it BY BY BARBAR A WOMACK , CONTRIBUTOR ADVERTISING MANAGER The following is a poem by Langston Hughes: What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? This poem reminds me that we all have dreams and those dreams translate into goals, but what happens when a life event interferes with those dreams and are put on hold. If each of us were to take the time to sit and talk to a homeless person we would find that they too had dreams and hopes and aspirations and many still have hopes of achieving those dreams. Those dreams are merely deferred at the present. Many of us witness homelessness, but very few of us are willing to do something about it. Very few of us are willing to accept that homelessness is a tragic episode
in the wealthiest country in the world. Why should an American citizen have to sleep on the sidewalk? Why should a woman have to be raped because she is homeless? Why should homeless men be afraid to sleep at night for fear of being beaten and robbed? Why is a homeless person who is peacefully standing on the street trying to make a living being vilified? I don’t have a solid answer for these questions, but I do know that there is a very special group of people in this city that are trying to find answers — I work with those people at The Contributor. The Contributor is a “newspaper with a purpose” and that purpose is to alleviate the pain and suffering of those who are experiencing homelessness in this city and surrounding areas. The Contributor is the lifeline for this city’s homeless. The Contributor gives hope, praise, dignity and love to those who have lost hope, praise, dignity and love; it says to the homeless, “we are here for you, we love you and we will help you obtain your American dream.” Without The Contributor, their dreams would be deferred and they would “sag like a heavy load.” The Contributor organization is a group of amazing, dedicated people who have
Why do people look down on the poor? BY JOHN H.
decided that homelessness should not exist in a country where many have several homes and many have none. Many of these well-qualified people could go elsewhere and make lots of money, but their devotion to this cause keeps them at The Contributor. There is just a desire to do the right thing in this world. They deserve the highest praise for the love and respect that they have for the homeless and they realize that homelessness is not a choice but rather a journey that many find themselves in. People with lived experiences on the streets tell their stories in The Contributor through art or poetry or writing. Nowhere else in this city can you read how they express themselves here. There are so many events in this world that we cannot prevent like earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and fires, but we can feed the hungry, we can house the homeless and we can heal the sick. Another of my favorite poets, Amanda Gorman, wrote in “The Hill We Climb”: “If only we’re brave enough to see it; if only we’re brave enough to be it.” If The Contributor is denied its right to exist and do what it has been doing for over 10 years, then the cries of the homeless will go unheard and their dreams will not only be deferred, but could explode.
Throughout my walk I’ve noticed how people look down on the poor or people who are not very wealthy or millionaires (well off). Me myself, I count it all blessings. I think about on that day when Jesus comes back how maybe I’ll be looking down on Earth. Here’s why: In Rev. 6:15, 16 it says, The Kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. I definitely wouldn’t want to be one of those people who are left here. It says “We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 So the way I see it, that’s my main goal, “to be with the Lord on that day.” Not care about what people may think or how they may class you here on Earth. The least thing that could be on my mind is spending eternity with Satan. To all who agree, give me a big Amen on that. Does it really matter how people characterize you or think about you? The best I can say is, “as long as it don’t create strife when it come to God’s word.” I’ll still love and be obedient to the laws and commandments God has given me. To sum it all up, I can never look down on anyone. The only way I can is when we rise to meet Jesus in the clouds; may look down wishing you was rising up to the clouds to meet Jesus with me.
Policy By Process or Community Compassion by Design Creating Standard Operating Procedures for Encampments
When people are displaced by broken families and communities they often find new community in encampments. Today we visited one with tents, barbecue grills and used goods someone threw out on the ground. These encampments are all over the city. Some on public land and many on private land. They live within the unwritten policy of what is allowed and supported. Too many are without sanitation, safety, and full of despair. Policy by process, or tacit approval, allows growth of encampments through food, tent, and material goods distribution, and community through new social norms. But at some point the private land owner may want use of their land. Or public land owners may want use of a greenway. What should be the policy when an encampment is no longer needed or allowed? Might a standard operating procedure be developed so that a legal enforcement policy does not dictate the response? I contend that compassion should design our encampment response. Compassion should encourage resources to be maximized to reduce the days of homelessness experienced.
There is a private property located near the city and convenient to services where there is a new encampment of ten (10) persons. This encampment will have to be moved due to the determination of the land owners. Might we suggest a five week Community Compassion Standard Operating Procedure? Week 1 - Relationship Building, Basic Human Resources, Transparency of the Process Week 2 - Introduction of Community Resources and Basic Information Gathering Week 3 - Enrollment in Preferred Community Resources with a Housing Process Map Week 4 - Encouragement of Progress for Individual Quality of Life Plans Week 5 - Goals-Based Placement in Available Supportive Shelter/Housing Options Please reach out to one of our LIFNAV (Life Navigation) Coaches and share your design recommendations.
The more days someone experiences homelessness the more likely they are to die deaths of despair from homelessness. When we invest in the wrong design we bring despair. I am comfortable with that truth and uncomfortable with the reality.
Now some will say we have no right to create such a standard operating procedure and I may agree. However, the failing Policy by Process will continue daily until we replace it with a well designed Community Compassion Standard Operating Procedure.
There is no research, evidence based practice, or city experience that encourages unfettered resourcing of encampments as a means of reducing homelessness. While housing is the solution, culture and strategy come first.
Let’s do better tomorrow.
So what is the design of a Community Compassion Standard Operating Procedure? Let me share one as a catalyst to a community dialogue.
~Major Ethan Frizzell, The Salvation Army For reference: Understanding Encampments of People Experiencing Homelessness and Community Responses: Emerging Evidence as of Late 2018 (HUD)
LIFNAV: SalvationArmyNashville.org
April 14-28, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19
