02.08.2023

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BUSINESS

How It Works

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.

NO CASH? NO PROBLEM.

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT

Street Sense Media publishes the newspaper

DONATION goes directly to your vendor, empowering them to overcome homelessness and poverty

As self-employed contractors, our vendors follow a code of conduct.

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.

2. 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.

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

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.

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

9. 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.”

INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR? New vendor training: every Tuesday and Thursday // 2 p.m. // 1317 G St., NW

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.

1317 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347 - 2006 streetsensemedia.org

info@streetsensemedia.org

VENDORS

Abel Putu, Aida Peery, Amina Washington, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Archie Thomas, August Mallory, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Carlos Carolina, Carlton Johnson, Carol Motley, Charles Armstrong, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders, Daniel Ball, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon (Gigi) Dovonou, Don Gardner, Donté Turner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Eric Thompson-Bey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, John Alley, 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, Juliene Kengnie, Katrina Anige, Kenneth Middleton, Khadijah Chapman, Kym Parker, L. Morrow, Laura Smith, Lawrence Autry, Levester Green, Marcus McCall, Mark Jones, Mango Redbook, Marc Grier, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Michael Warner, Michelle Mozee, Michele Rochon, Morgan Jones, Nikila Smith, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Reggie Jones, Reginald Black, Reginald C. Denny, Ricardo Meriedy, Rita Sauls, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, Ronald Smoot, Sasha Williams, Sheila White, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Susan Westmoreland, Susan Wilshusen, Sybil Taylor, 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 DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Doris Warrell

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Darick Brown

DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT

Thomas Ratliff

VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES

Aida Peery, Clifford Samuels, Amina Washington

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS

Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Madeleine McCollough, Dylan Onderdonksnow, Amelia Stemple

MANAGER OF ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS

Maria Lares

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Will Schick

DEPUTY EDITOR

Kaela Roeder

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Athiyah Azeem

STAFF REPORTER

Annemarie Cuccia

MICHAEL STOOPS DIVERSITY FELLOW

Sarah Soriano-Martin

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Alexia Partouche, Margaret Hartigan

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, Bill Meincke, Candace Montague

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

The Cover ILLUSTRATION AND DESIGN BY ATHIYAH AZEEM

Councilmember introduces bill to remove barriers to social work

KAELA ROEDER Deputy Editor

Obtaining a master’s degree in social work may soon become easier for people who hold bachelor’s degrees and live in the District.

On Feb. 1, Councilmember Robert White reintroduced legislation that, if passed, will make it free for people who live or work in D.C. to obtain a master’s degree in social work. The program will offer scholarships to students who enroll at the University of the District of Columbia and will cover the full cost of tuition and provide a stipend for transportation, books and living expenses.

Social work can be a difficult field to break into. To become a social worker in D.C., a person must possess a master’s degree in social work. There’s also a licensing requirement which mandates that every applicant provide a list of character references in addition to paying an over $200 fee and sitting through an exam. The bill, if passed, would also help lower the financial barriers for people interested in working in this field.

“I’ve seen positive movement on mental health over the past couple of years, including reduced stigma and more people seeking out the support they need,” White said in a press release. “But I hear from people all the time who can’t find a therapist or counselor, so we have to do something to expand the pipeline of mental health professionals. Mental health services are also a key component of a holistic approach to crime prevention and response, but we must have the workforce in place for it to make a real difference on the ground.”

Currently, the proposed legislation has a built-in plan to grow over time. In its first year, it would serve 20 students, and double the number of participants the following year. Legislators estimate the program will cost around $6 million over four years. If passed and enacted, the program could open as early as spring 2024.

SSM FAMILY UPDATES

• The 20th Anniversary Vendor Sellathon has started! Sell papers to win prizes. Check out the leaderboard in the admin office.

• The office follows the government for severe weather delays and closures. Search online for “opm. gov/status” or call the main office line.

• Vendors continue to receive free papers for proof of vaccination. BIRTHDAYS Saul Tea Feb. 14 ARTIST/VENDOR

The Street Sense Media 20th Anniversary

SELL-A-THON LEADERBOARD

The Sell-a-Thon challenges vendors to sell as many Street Sense newspapers they can in one month. The highest and most improved sellers are awarded $50 at the end of February. We will update this leader board for each category every week. You can boost your favorite vendor’s numbers by giving them a “customer kudos” — ask a vendor to learn more!

HIGHEST SELLERS OF THE WEEK M

Evelyn Nnam

SELLERS OF THE WEEK

Emergency cash assistance program for domestic violence survivors launches

KAELA ROEDER Deputy Editor

Alocal service provider recently launched an emergency cash assistance pilot program, designed to assist survivors of domestic violence.

My Sister’s Place announced the project on Feb. 1 and says it will benefit families participating in one of its transitional housing programs. The pilot will provide $500 per month to 45 families for two years. Mercedes Lemp, the executive director of My Sister’s Place, said it hopes to expand the program well beyond this initial period.

“It might be the first time that anybody has ever said, ‘we trust you to make your own financial decisions.’ And that on its own gives clients a lot of help,” Lemp said.

Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness

for women, according to a study by the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Financial stress often causes many people to return to violent situations —- 67% of survivors go back to an abusive relationship or stay longer than they wanted because of money concerns.

The program will also offer participating families financial literacy training, which Lemp says is important given how seldom financial education is offered in the United States. Recipients of the cash assistance will take classes that cover topics such as how to maintain a strong credit score, how to set up a bank account and how to file taxes.

“Giving them this agency is huge. And our whole philosophy is — you know what's best for you,” Lemp said.

Therefore, emergency cash assistance is a must, Lemp said. She also believes these kinds of programs need to provide

people autonomy over their own finances. While most participants receiving emergency cash assistance use the funds to pay their rent, purchase food and pay down their rent, participants from My Sister’s Place will focus on the latter two because participants are in a transitional housing program.

“People make the right choices for themselves,” Lemp said. The program is funded through financial support from The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund and The William S. Abell Foundation.

“My hope for this,” Lemp said, “is that the government entities and different funders that fund our programming throughout all almost 45 years that we've been in existence, see this as a natural need of domestic violence programming.”

A local service provider is launching an emergency cash assistance pilot program, designed to assist survivors of domestic violence. Photo by Giorgio Trovato // Unsplash.com

Public restroom access could expand in DC

KAELA ROEDER Deputy Editor

Outside the National Mall, it can be nearly impossible to find a public restroom in D.C. But a new bill introduced in late January is aiming to change this reality by increasing the number of public restrooms across the city.

Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto introduced a bill titled “Expanding Access to Public Restrooms Act of 2023” that if passed and enacted, would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to include public restrooms in parks that are one acre or more. The bill would also create a grant program for business revitalization programs to fund the construction and maintenance of public restrooms.

Restroom access has long been an issue for people experiencing homelessness in the District. Homeless residents have long lobbied for expanded restroom access.

“This issue affects everyone. Everyone needs ready access to a clean, safe restroom when nature calls. Access to a clean, safe restroom is a United Nations recognized human right. It’s fundamental to human dignity, is key for personal and public health and contributes to livable cities for everyone,” the People For Fairness Coalition, a homeless advocacy and outreach organization, wrote in 2018.

Pinto agrees people experiencing homelessness face unfair barriers in accessing public restrooms and it’s imperative to change that, she said in an interview.

“We know this is a major challenge for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness who don’t have access to private restrooms,” the councilmember said. “It’s really important to be providing these public restrooms, and our neighbors experiencing homelessness who are living outside will be able to go to the restroom with dignity.”

Sybil Taylor, a vendor with Street Sense Media, said she’s excited about the bill and that using the bathroom should be a guaranteed right for everyone.

“It’s hard enough to be on the street,” she said. “We all have to go to the bathroom.”

There are several requirements outlined in the bill — the restrooms must be free to use, and it has to be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a minimum. The intent of the legislation is to ensure all eight wards see a dramatic increase in access over time, Pinto said.

This bill follows legislation passed in 2022, that allows individuals with an eligible medical condition to access any public or private restroom at retail establishments. The council also passed the “Period Equity Righting an Injustice of District Residents Act” in 2022, which requires period products to be available in all District government buildings, shelters and congregate care facilities.

“Public restrooms should be a right in our city,” Pinto said. “This is really important for inclusivity and accessibility.”

Gentrification and housing policy take center stage at local film festival

MARGARET HARTIGAN Editorial Intern

Amid the worst affordable housing crisis in history, filmmakers across the country are examining how redlining and gentrification transform the day-to-day life of local communities.

A festival showcasing a series of urban planning films exploring the country’s complicated history with housing inequality stopped at the National Building Museum for the fifth time in late January. The Architecture and Design Film Festival (ADDF) is held annually to showcase films related to urban planning and sustainability. In addition to films, this year’s event also featured numerous photography exhibits as well as a performance by a local go-go group, TOB Band.

Many of the films featured at the event explored subjects such as redlining. For instance, the animated film “Segregated by Design” examined how segregation forced many Black Americans into overcrowded neighborhoods, and excluded them from numerous financial opportunities to accumulate wealth. The film is available for free streaming at segregatedbydesign. com.

Another film, “Committee of Six,” took audiences behind the scenes into the making of community-changing housing policy decisions in the Hyde Park neighborhood surrounding the University of Chicago in 1955. While this film is not yet available for online streaming, it can be seen through ADFF’s online version of the festival.

In an interview with Street Sense Media, Director Fred Schmidt-Arenales described the film’s focus as the efforts of the University of Chicago’s administration “to create a set of invisible walls around the neighborhood.”

Similar forces are still in effect. In the past, private schools such as Georgetown University contributed to gentrification by buying up property in the area surrounding it. According to some critics, other universities are still continuing this practice by displacing local residents when they expand or simply through inviting students to live off-campus, which can inflate the local demand for housing.

The festival closed out with a documentary examining the history of an iconic D.C. neighborhood from local filmmaker Samuel George. “Barry Farm: Community, Land and Justice in Washington DC,” recounted the Barry Farm neighborhood’s cultural history — from when it was a slave plantation, to when it became a community of public housing units. Today, many of Barry Farm’s displaced residents grapple with the neighborhood’s redevelopment and the film showcases a number of interviews with these former residents.

“When we told the story, we didn’t want to just focus on land, we wanted to focus on community,” Director Samuel George said.

‘Sugar’ Coleman Hall was a resident of Barry Farm for over 10 years. He said that, despite the reputation for poverty and drug use that the documentary described, he always felt welcome — which was especially important to him as a gay

man.

But as the film chronicled, Hall was forced out of his home in 2019. “I really did not want to leave,” Hall said in an interview with Street Sense. “If I had a choice to stand there, I would’ve stayed.”

“I believe as long as you treat people with respect, you get it back. And that’s the way the people in Barry Farm was,” he said.

The festival also incorporated events to showcase the work of local photographers such as Dee Dwyer, whose work highlights D.C.’s Black culture and urban landscapes.

The focus on gentrification and housing equity was unique to D.C.’s festival. Thursday night film “Alice Street” and “Barry Farm” were specifically chosen in collaboration with the National Building Museum.

“They really spoke to our mission,” Jacquelyn Sawyer, the museum’s vice president of education and engagement, said. “These films are really grounded in equity and the vast gentrification affecting Black and Brown communities in modern urban America.”

In the coming months, the festival will also make stops in Chicago, New York, Vancouver and Ontario, and an online version of the festival will be available for streaming between Feb. 8 and Feb. 17. Online streaming passes range from $11 for one film pass, to $50 for a five film pass, or $125 for an all-access pass.

Local go-go band performs at the Architecture and Design Film Festival.

Photo by Margaret Hartigan

Street Sense Media vendors stage play exploring solutions to homelessness

WILL SCHICK Editor-in-Chief

On an early Sunday morning, a small group of people gathered inside a church a few blocks from the White House to watch a play examining solutions to homelessness.

Written and organized by Street Sense Media vendors, the performance staged on Feb. 6, lasted for approximately an hour and included multiple singing ensembles. The culmination of six months of hard work, the show was the first theatrical event hosted by the nonprofit since the onset of the pandemic.

“At first, it was a lot of fun. But after about a month, we started writing,” explained Maria Lares, Street Sense Media staff member who facilitates over a dozen in-house workshops that cover everything from workplace training to watercolor painting.

The play was organized and directed by longtime volunteer Leslie Jacobson, who has provided similar training to other theatrical groups around the world. She worked closely with another volunteer, Roy Barber, to compose original music to accompany the performance.

Jacobson’s direction was crucial in providing the initial structure of the script, according to Lares.

“She asked us ‘What does the word ‘home’ mean to you?’ and ‘If you could talk to the mayor right now, what would you tell her?’” Lares said.

Within a few months, the group managed to produce

a script centered on their personal experiences with homelessness. It also explored concrete actions local policy makers could adopt to address the issue.

However, working to pull off such a performance was far from easy. According to Lares, theatrical work can be much more emotionally draining than other forms of expression due to its physical demands.

“Because people are not expressing themselves with just their words but with their whole body,” Lares said, “people can [actually] start crying.”

Jet Flegette, a vendor who performed in the play, agreed that rehearsing the script was the most emotionally challenging part.

“You’ve got to be real with your feelings,” she said. “When the script says, ‘I’ve been down, alone in the streets, beaten and scared with nothing to eat,’ that’s really true. I’ve been in that position before.”

Around 11 vendors contributed to the writing of the play, which contains a blend of personal experiences with homelessness from all the performers. It also underwent many changes during the past six months, according to multiple people who acted in the play.

Flegette also said that while acting in front of a live audience can be nerve-wracking and stressful, it was something she felt compelled to do.

“I figured if I can sell a paper to people out in the streets,

I can stand up in front of people I don’t know and tell them what [this play] is about,” she said. “It was an opportunity to be a part of something, you know?”

Other members of the theatrical group shared similar excitement with the success of their initial performance.

“It was just so amazing for me and I do look forward to the next one,” Queenie Featherstone, another Street Sense Media vendor who played a part in the show said. “I’m going to master the skill of acting. Then one day, I will receive a Tony Award.”

Nikila Smith, a vendor who watched the performance, said that she left it thinking about an idea first brought on by Featherstone in a monologue about possible solutions to homelessness. On stage, Featherstone proposed starting a fund to encourage people to open up their homes temporarily to people experiencing homelessness.

“It sounds like a good idea to get people on their feet,” she said.

The experience of homelessness can be solitary, Smith added, and it helps to have opportunities to interact with people with different kinds of life experience.

“This [play] was really nice and I want to be in it next time,” she said.

Street Sense Media vendors perform an original play at the Church of the Epiphany in downtown D.C. Photo by Will Schick

DC risks running out of shelter beds in 2023

ANNEMARIE CUCCIA Staff Reporter

Close observers of D.C.’s homeless services are predicting the city’s shelters may be full by midyear as a potential rise in demand for beds coincides with the shuttering of some shelter programs.

Next week, the National Park Service (NPS) plans to remove unsheltered people living in an encampment at McPherson Square. The District cleared smaller encampments in Logan Circle and Anacostia on Tuesday. At the same time, D.C. is halting funds for the temporary housing provided via the Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Individuals (PEP-V), and is slated to close two low-barrier shelters for renovation by the summer. All told, the city will lose a total of 787 beds over the next year, potentially leaving residents with nowhere to go.

The city’s shelters for individuals have been under stress often in the last six months, according to nightly reports. In addition to accommodating thousands of migrants bused to D.C. by Republican governors, they also have served unhoused people driven inside by early cold spells before the city opened its hypothermia sites. In recent weeks, shelters have had around 100 open beds each night — somewhat tight, but workable. But some observers of D.C.’s homeless services system worry shelters will soon reach capacity, as they discussed at a D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) meeting on Feb. 1.

“I think we’re fine right now — but, with PEP-V and the other shelters they said they are closing at that meeting, that’s problematic,” said Kate Coventry, deputy director of legislative strategy at the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute and a member of

the ICH.

D.C. operates 10 low-barrier shelters, which provide beds on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the year to anyone experiencing homelessness. Collectively, the shelters offer about 840 beds for men, 340 beds for women, and 40 beds for LGBTQ+ individuals in the only city-funded shelter where occupancy isn’t based on a gender binary. During hypothermia season, which generally lasts from Nov. 1 to April 1, the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) opens overflow shelter sites to account for the identified gap between demand and shelter beds — this year, about 250 beds.

Upcoming renovations will decrease the number of lowbarrier shelter beds available for single men. In April, the city will begin long-planned construction on the Pat Handy Legacy shelter downtown, temporarily eliminating 55 beds during the project. By the summer, that deficit will grow to 122 beds, as Blair shelter near the H Street NE corridor closes for renovations this summer and fall.

Meanwhile, the city’s hypothermia sites will close on April 1. While the sites don’t operate as full-service shelters, they do provide a place to sleep for people when the traditional shelters are full. On Feb. 5, people slept in over 200 of the 250 overflow beds. Though not everyone who sleeps inside during hypothermia season seeks shelter in the warmer months, some ICH members expressed concern at the meeting that the closure of those shelters this spring will leave people scrambling with fewer year-round shelter beds to move into.

DHS and ICH did not provide comments by the time of publication.

The scale of the problem

Through the CARES Act, the federal government provided state and local jurisdictions throughout the country with funding to operate non-congregate shelters during the pandemic. In D.C., several PEP-V hotels opened to serve people experiencing homelessness with severe COVID-19 risk. The program could accommodate up to 665 people at once, and D.C. routinely relied on those beds to provide shelter to all residents who wanted it.

DHS announced in early January that the city would soon close the PEP-V program, as the federal government discontinued its portion of the funding. PEP-V is not accepting any new residents and will be phased out “over the next year,” according to the DHS announcement. DCist reported that Unity Health Care, which operates the PEP-V sites, is aiming to move all 532 people currently living in PEP-V into housing by September.

But advocates such as Wes Heppler, counsel to the Legal Clinic for the Homeless, remain concerned about the fate of PEP-V residents. Some people living in PEP-V have been matched to a housing voucher but are in the months-long process of securing the voucher and finding housing. PEP-V participants who are not connected to housing resources might turn to the low-barrier shelter system, Heppler said, given that the city has not confirmed whether everyone will be allowed to stay in PEP-V until they have permanent housing. Even if they can, he added, the city will ultimately see a loss of over 600 shelter beds.

The National Park Service will force people living in McPherson Square to leave on Feb. 15, and has suggested residents can go to shelters. Photo by Annemarie Cuccia

“The need for that kind of non-congregate facility and that kind of case management services, that doesn’t end,” Heppler said.

Meanwhile, it is increasingly likely that the National Park Service’s efforts to clear all encampments by the end of 2023 will increase shelter demand. Last week, NPS accelerated its plans to close the McPherson Square encampment, deciding to do so on Feb. 15 rather than sometime in April. Only 25 of the over 70 people living there are currently connected to a housing voucher, and none have actually moved into their own apartment, according to Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Wayne Turnage. More recently, Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto said an additional 15 residents had “begun engagement” with service providers to obtain vouchers.

Both NPS and D.C. personnel have told McPherson Square residents they can stay in a low-barrier shelter after NPS closes their encampment. A Twitter account run by McPherson residents has repeatedly pushed back on this suggestion, arguing D.C. is making it difficult for them to find a suitable place to stay given high shelter occupancy and the closing of the PEP-V program.

Though many residents at McPherson may choose not to go to a shelter, “it’s important to make sure that we actually have the beds that we offer,” Coventry said.

Many encampment residents avoid going to shelters because they worry about their privacy and safety at the sites, which are often crowded and sometimes in poor condition. PEP-V’s hotel rooms have been a welcome solution for some who

traditionally avoid shelters, but residents at the encampments closed this month won’t have the choice to live there under current policy.

“It’s kind of a perfect storm. If you’re closing PEP-V at the same time you’re trying to get a lot of individuals to come indoors into shelters, that’s not a good combination,” Heppler said.

What can DC do?

Government officials say that all PEP-V and encampment residents who are matched to a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) voucher are eligible to live in Bridge Housing, which can provide a transition apartment or hotel room while residents wait to find an apartment to rent with their voucher.

Other proposed solutions fall into two categories: either pause the PEP-V and encampment closures or find a way to make more room in the shelters.

Heppler proposed that the city extend PEP-V with local money while working to identify and set up an alternative non-congregate shelter, thereby allowing current participants to stay until they have permanent housing and filling vacant slots. Residents of encampments, meanwhile, say the city and NPS should wait to close any sites until the city can guarantee housing, or at least adequate shelter, for those who would be displaced. At McPherson, residents said late last week that they had not had the chance to apply for housing yet, despite the city’s claims that residents were refusing to engage

service providers. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau has also called for the NPS to delay closing the McPherson encampment.

The city could also reduce the need for shelter by ensuring people who are eligible for vouchers move into housing as fast as possible, Coventry said. About 1,700 individuals are eligible for available housing vouchers but are somewhere in the application and housing search process, many of whom may live in shelters, encampments or PEP-V hotels.

But if there’s no way to provide housing, Coventry said the city may need to look at ways to increase the number of shelter beds. She suggested partnering with some of the locations that open temporary shelters in the winter to continue operating into the spring and summer.

At the beginning of the pandemic, recognizing the need for new non-congregate shelter options, a group of citizens who have experienced homelessness urged the city to adopt their Vacant-to-Virus Reduction (V2VR) proposal. The V2VR plan, which some residents are seeking to revive, would move unhoused people into vacant units through subsidies to developers and landlords — somewhat like a streamlined version of housing vouchers, with incentives funded by mechanisms such as tax increment financing to encourage housing providers to participate. This plan, like continuing PEP-V, would require significant local funding.

This article was co-published with The DC Line.

The Community for Creative Nonviolence, near Union Station, is one of the city’s lowbarrier shelters. Photo by Kate Santaliz

Life begins when you follow the heart, not the herd

JEFFERY MCNEIL Artist/Vendor

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “History is a set of lies agreed upon.”

If that statement is true, then is there a possibility everything those in power told me are lies?

As Black History Month begins, I hate to admit I’m fatigued. It’s the same thing every year: Emmett Till, Birmingham, freedom rides, protests and the assassination of Martin Luther King. It’s like spinning your wheels and never moving.

We are nearly 60 years away from 1965, and no one is standing at the doors preventing Black youths from college. You can sleep in any hotel or visit any hospital. You can marry anyone. You can even become president.

Yes, racism exists, but it doesn’t seem to be in Alabama or Mississippi — but in liberal strongholds such as Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. What’s even more bizarre is the people who squawk loudest about racism seem to re-elect people that maintain the system that keeps them in dire straits.

I don’t understand areas with decades of Democratic rule such as Baltimore and Philadelphia. However, no matter how bad the homelessness and crime are, they blame Republicans and vote for another corrupt Democratic politician.

I admit I feel lonely living in Washington, D.C. I don’t get it. I’m not a Democrat, but I’m a product of leftism.

You marched in Selma, protested Vietnam and burned your

bras. You claimed white males have suppressed and oppressed you, but you elect an 80-year-old who is the white patriarchy’s poster child.

Maybe because I grew up in New Jersey, I was on my way to being a victim. I went to public schools, learning that being African American meant being doomed to poverty, jail or a casket.

However, I never bought into the narrative, for I grew up with a father that worked and a mother big on education. I was fortunate to see Africans, Haitians, Hispanics, and Asians own businesses and put their kids in college in this racist whitedominated America.

I have always lived through contradictions. My father, who voted for Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, was self-employed, paid taxes, and owned stocks — and a business. He wouldn’t let me use racism as a crutch or allow me to make excuses for my mistakes. He believed in taking personal responsibility instead of blaming the white man.

Being young, you can see how confusing this was. He voted Democrat but believed in personal responsibility: a conservative trait.

I never saw black or white but right or wrong. If a Black man is on camera robbing an old lady, and someone shoots him, I’m not going to defend them because they are Black.

What is race? If someone African American robs and loots, what does that have to do with me or the Black race? I share

nothing in common but skin tone, and I don’t wear blue or red or want to kill anyone because I’m poor. I share commonality with my blood relatives, but why am I lumped in with Northern Africans, Saharans and South Africans when my ancestors came from Sierra Leone?

As we approach 2023, I’m confused. Is this what the left turned the world upside down for? How can you whine about racism and then support someone like Joe Biden?

He was a senator from a slave state who began his career as Dixiecrat, whose friends included Jesse Helms and Robert Byrd. He opposed school busing and signed a crime bill that sent Black men to prison, but the same people jumping up and down about Donald Trump’s racism are crickets on Biden’s racial past.

There is good news: many African Americans are evolving their views on race. Many Black people are descendants of incredible people such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman and many others who come from proud family legacies who owned successful businesses and invested. They are proud of their history, not bitter about it.

As for me, I’m not hoping for any compensation such as reparations because of past injustices. I know what I’m up against, but I love the competition, and I have the confidence that I will prevail no matter what forces are against us.

Jeffery

Valentine’s Day

SYBIL TAYLOR Artist/Vendor

Valentine's Day. A day of love, a day of romance, a day of emotion, a day of affection, a day of special moments, a day of hearts and roses, a day of showing your appreciation towards the one you love and honoring friendship. Valentine's Day is a day of love. I love you means a lot to our family, friends, pets, our partners, and our husbands and wives. Love is very special. Love is everywhere in the LGBTQ community and in all genders of the world.

Love is giving a box of chocolate candy, beautiful roses, violets and special gifts. A romantic lunch, breakfast or dinner. A nice bubble bath. I love my mother, my two sisters, my brother, my niece and Daniel Ball, who I have been with and known since 1996. He is a precious jewel. And my father who is always in my heart forever — he will be truly missed. Have a great Valentine's Day.

Playlist:

Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder Yearning For Your Love by The Gap Band

My Girl and Dream Come True by The Temptations

Heaven Must Have Sent You by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

So Anxious by Ginuwine I'm So Into You by Peabo Bryson

Valentine’s Day is here

WARREN STEVENS Artist/Vendor

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. I sent my loved ones Valentine’s cards and balloons to make their day happy. Every year couples celebrate by going out to dinner and dancing.

Gas and food prices are going up every year. Congress needs to step up and end the high costs. We as people want the best bargain.

Spring is coming soon. Birds will sing and flowers will bloom.

Valentine’s Day

DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

Yes, I love to give Valentine’s cards to every Street Sense vendor. And, yes, I love all my Street Sense brothers and sisters and staff members too. I want to give a special shout-out to Maria and Thomas because both of them work very hard. I also love my family very much. I have one good friend I’m really going to miss. Her name is Amina Washington. I loved the conversations we would have at Starbucks.

Happy Valentine’s Day

PATTY SMITH Artist/Vendor

How do you know if he loves you?

This is the question so many people ask. My girlfriend and I were at the YWCA a couple of years ago and pondered this very question. She told me her boyfriend asked her to come over to his house for a date. Another couple was there, and he paid special attention to her. Of course, everyone has their own opinion about this eternal question.

Happy Valentine’s Day

EVELYN NNAM Artist/Vendor

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Valentine’s Day is a day of love and celebration. Celebrating with your loved ones and enjoying the beautiful decor of flowers, sweets and warm embracing. Valentine’s Day is such a wonderful time for people to enjoy spending time with their family and loved ones. It’s a great time to enjoy each other’s company and to be happy. Enjoy your day, everyone!

Experience

AMINA WASHINGTON

Artist/Vendor

The first time I moved to the streets I was 14 years old. I’ve been homeless without my parents since that age. It wasn’t until I was 20 years old that I reunited with my dad and stayed with him in his house. After six years of not having a home and not even a childhood, I had to grow-up fast. After my dad died eight years later, I was consistently on the street. I have been on the streets without shelter, money, food stamps, ID, or any way to get them from the ages of 28 to 38. After I turned 38, I moved into a tent and six months later I got a home and a job.

Dreams inside a dream

ROCHELLE WALKER

Artist/Vendor

A dream from the Empire State Building. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that one day a change will come, that racism will vanish, justice for all will triumph and we will be free at last, free at last. Let us all thank God we are free at last.

A dream can last a lifetime, and it takes a dream to know that not everybody dreams at night, though all of us dream at some time or another. Maybe it happens when we’re in our REM sleep. Or, maybe we dream our best when we daydream.

Remember that Martin Luther King said he’d been to the mountaintop and that one day justice will flow down like mighty waters, like from the top of the Empire State Building to the hills of Mississippi. And that, once again, we shall overcome and we shall be free at last.

Bringing awareness to 2023

PUTU

ABEL

Artist/Vendor

I bring hope, love and unity. People should know more about Street Sense in 2023. I think Street Sense could make a movie featuring all our vendors to help with that. Mayor Bowser should also come to our Street Sense office. She helped me when my apartment was flooded multiple times. My dream is to play wheelchair basketball with my team, the NRH Punishers in the Capital One Arena. I wish the NBA, the NFL and our local teams would get more involved in my sport. Maybe a famous basketball player could come to the Street Sense office and visit us sometime.

I appreciate everyone who buys the paper. Thank you for reading my stories.

I faced everything from violent attacks, discrimination, denial for jobs and housing during my times on the street. I’ve also had plenty of hard times staying in shelters. I've been put out of public parks by the Park Police. I’ve been forced out of buildings, called all kinds of bad names and also bullied and stabbed while sleeping on a park bench. The tough times I’ve faced on the streets have never made me weak but stronger than the average woman who never experienced those things. My place in life is not to stay in a home but to move through the streets and help others still

Black men problems

CARLOS CAROLINA Artist/Vendor

People real live in the world

Want you to be what they want you to be Hoping you don’t know much about yourself Or have much love for yourself

Willing and wanting to walk you blindly

And uneducated through life

So they may trap you in an organized system Of chaos and confusion

While watching you wither. Black men! Be mindful of those who are mindful of you. Sad to say, But hey, Them Black men problems

experiencing homelessness, joblessness and poverty. I’m so grateful for the experience of being in the paper. Here I have the opportunity to share my experience with others going through rough times and also the chance to show people who never experienced those things what it’s like. We all must work together to end homelessness.

True story

REDBOOK MANGO

Artist/Vendor

Redbook Mango is ready to tango

Chandra Brown was a class clown

Realest one on the Earth

Star Spangled Banner hired me to

Write a new verse

Unfortunately, I was homeless

Living in an abandoned building

So I missed the opportunity

And my family didn’t know

I was elected the next DMV idol

But I lost contact

Several people called but no one

Responded back

My boss said I was telling a lie

They said I was disqualified

For stealing their sign

Bruce Lee, the master of kung fu and martial arts

JEFFREY CARTER Artist/Vendor

An extraordinarily awesome fighter, he was the king and the master of martial arts in his time. But he was also more than that. He was a film writer, storyteller, actor and producer of martial arts movies. These movies featured celebrities such as Jim Kelly, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robert Wall and John Saxon. They all bowed to Bruce Lee. Only one thing stopped him: death. I dedicate this piece to Bruce Lee, who was absolutely the greatest.

Instincts are self illusion

ERICA DOWNING

Artist/Vendor

The definition of instinct, according to the Oxford dictionary, is an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli. In other words, a reaction to a situation of similar circumstances from a known previous experience. What you may call a gut feeling is actually a reaction to a memory based on a past experience. The circumstances may have changed but your reaction remains the same. This is not only human nature but animal nature. The difference between the two is the ability to change said instincts. Instincts can cause missed opportunities and forgotten dreams, a life’s purpose unfulfilled, in attempts to protect one’s self against the unknown and repeating past mistakes. But with great risk is great reward. We must have confidence and faith in ourselves, and treat each new experience as such, a new experience. Humans have the ability to adapt and alter reactions based on new circumstances. Humans have the ability to change the circumstance altogether if they have the faith in themselves to do so. Instead of allowing your surroundings to change you, know and trust that you have the power to change your surroundings, which will change your circumstance, improve your situation and provide new opportunities you thought could only be imagined. Take the leap of faith and trust yourself.

Second chance

NIKILA

SMITH

Artist/Vendor

I’m enjoying my second chance to live

I’m enjoying my second chance on life

I’m learning to give myself a second chance

I was telling a young lady that when you are dating a new mate, it’s a second chance

The same as making new friends

I’m in a new city, but I’m the same me

I’m enjoying my second chance, I’m a mountain. I will not move!

Getting my second chance isn’t as sad as my first

Get some

LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

If you wanna go and have some fun…

Because you shouldn’t want to know this intimacy — this intensely in my privacy.

Probably, possibly not paying nothing but too much attention.

Captivating invention, one-on-one no intervention or prevention, Just dissension, to hell you’ll send them.

Let me know how’s communication?

I may be breaking some rules with this poem, but this is my chance to break free, there’s no weight on me, I am FREE, FREE, FREE

FUN & GAMES

Across

1. Indonesian island or Maidenform and Playtex

rival

5. What “this guy...” who stars in a gazillion jokes invariably “walks into...”

9. Surrounding glows (Lat. pl. ending)

14. Battery-operated smoking device, briefly (1-3)

15. Business honcho, for short

16. Russian range

17. ____ Sea (greatly depleted Asian lake)

18. Places the face, say

20. Modernize

22. Not at home - or caught at home

23. Reproductive cells (Lat. pl.)

24. “Are you a man ___ mouse?” (2 wds.) (2,1)

25. Gov’t. org. that aids budding entrepreneurs (abbr./acron.)

26. Deuce topper

27. Chilean author Allende

30. Prefix with -tron

32. Bridge or tunnel fees, often

33. “____zooks!” (“Yikes!” of yesteryear)

34. Major artery

38. Cowboy ties

39. Acapulco gold (Sp.)

40. Subsurface war vessel (1-4)

41. Put on the books, as a law

42. Old antipoverty agcy. (abbr./acron.)

43. Mother-of-pearl (CRANE anagram)

44. Edible kelp used in Japanese cuisine

46. ____ favorite (competitor with better than even chance of winning) (4-2)

47. Mixtures in some spa baths

50. Gym unit, briefly (abbr./acron.)

51. RMN pardoner (inits.)

52. Wall St. debut (abbr./acron.)

53. ____ Jordan (Nike’s basketball sneaker culture-defining brand since 1984)

54. Readings for hopeful cast members, or speed, strength and agility drills for athletic team candidates

58. Newspaper part with game outcomes and stats (2 wds.) (6,4)

61. One likely to patronize a KOA facility (abbr.)

62. Jeans material

63. Certain Christian denom. (abbr.)

64. ___ Verde National Park

65. Delicious dunkables since 1912

66. Pound sounds

67. Chow, or chows down

Down

1. Grin and ____ it (tough it out)

2. Ranch unit

3. Neeson of the Big Screen

4. Building material for Inuit shelters (2 wds.) (5,6)

5. “C’mon, get serious” (2 wds.) (2,4)

6. Figure skater’s jump

7. Tape deck button (abbr.)

8. Mystery-solving Great Dane of cartoons (6,3)

9. Family title with two pronunciations

10. New England state sch. (abbr./acron.)

11. ____ sharp

12. Popular OTC pain reliever that’s the same as Naproxen

13. Blue book filler

19. Avocado-based chip accompaniment, briefly

21. ____ kill (wear your finest knock’em dead outfit) (2 wds.) (5,5)

25. Gather quickly, but with difficulty...or - taken literally - a hint to the circled letter groups. (2 wds.) (5,2)

26. “It’s just my rotten luck!” (4 wds.) (3.3.3.2)

27. The Beatle’s “Let ____” (2 wds.) (2,2)

28. Before long

29. “It was ___ mistake!” (2 wds.) (3,1)

31. Dirty stuff we’re proverbially urged not to air publicly

33. What a peanut was called in a popular Civil War song (2 wds.) (6,3)

35. Enormous birds of myth

36. Poi source

37. Competitive diver’s or gymnast’s goal (2 wds.) (1,3)

45. Some hosp. scans (abbr./acron.)

46. Shrek’s Fiona, most notably

47. Perform improperly (SO DIM anagram)

48. Word that can precede berth or class

49. Lorna ____ cookies (popular Nabisco shelfmate of 65-Across)

53. They’re often pressed for cash (abbr./acron.)

54. Apt weekend-welcoming anagram of GIFT (abbr./acron.)

55. Eye part

56 Exam

57 Mmes. of Madrid (abbr.)

59 ___ de Janeiro

60 Mo. that gets off to a silly start (abbr.)

*This crossword puzzle is the original work of Patrick “Mac”McIntyre. It is provided to us courtesy of Real Change News, a street paper based in Seattle, Wa. Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.

Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

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

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW dccfh.org

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

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc)

219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

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

My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

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

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE

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

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

Samaritan Ministry

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

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

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

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

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

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org

- Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500

- Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699

1500 Galen Street SE, 1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

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

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

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

Server

The Delegate/Thompson Hospitality // 901 L St NW

Full-time

Serve food, prepare specialty dishes at tables, write orders on slips or into computers for kitchen staff, describe menu items as necessary.

REQUIRED: N/A

APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/th-delegate

Team Member: Food Champion

Taco Bell // 3100 14th Street NW

Full-time / Part-time

Greet customers in the restaurant or through the drive-thru, take orders and handle payments. Prepare ingredients and assemble food.

REQUIRED: N/A

APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/taco-champ

Retail Sales Associate

Casper Retail // 609 H St NE

Part-time

Provide service and guidance to customers in store, follow up with customers through email and collect feedback, maintain in-depth knowledge of products in the store, assist with setting up community events.

REQUIRED: Ability to lift 50 pounds.

APPLY: https://tinyurl.com/casper-rsa

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

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

All services listed are referral-free