01.03.2024

VOL. 21 ISSUE 4

JAN. 3 - JAN. 16, 2024

Real Stories

$2

suggested contribution goes directly to your vendor

Real People

Real Change

The yea r ahead in housing and homelessness 6-7

Scan QR Code to download the app and pay your vendor!

Remembering the unhoused people who died in 2023 4-5

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

@ STREETSENSEDC

2 / / S T R E E T S E N S E M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

I

OUR STORY ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS

n 2017, we began hosting a number of 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.

We ran

In 2023, artists/vendors published a book of their photography,

workshops in 2023

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, C. Smith, Carlos Carolina, Carol Motley, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders, Daniel Ball,

We publish vendor art and writing every week!

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 ThompsonBey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Frederick Walker, 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 Reed, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker,

and shared their life experiences in an oral history project!

The Cover COVER ART BY MARC GRIER, COVER DESIGN BY ANNEMARIE CUCCIA

Ron Dudley, Sasha Williams, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sybil Taylor, Tonya Williams Vennie Hill, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams, William Mack BOARD OF DIRECTORS Blake Androff, NanaSentuo Bonsu, Jonquilyn Hill, Stanley Keeve, Clare Krupin, Ashley McMaster, Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Brian Carome DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Darick Brown DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT Thomas Ratliff VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES Aida Peery, Chon Gotti, Nikila Smith

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

//

3

EVENTS AT SSM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Introducing Street Sense's editor-in-chief

I

've been extremely honored to serve as the interim editor-in-chief at Street Sense these past three months. I did not take the position on lightly. I know how important this paper is to many people, not just our vendors, but everyone who is affected by the stories we report. I want only the best for Street Sense, and I was determined to find that in our next editor-in-chief.

I did not expect my colleagues to turn around and suggest I might be that person. While I am confident in the work I've done at Street Sense, I'm keenly aware I'm still learning. I want to be honest with you all — it took me a while to decide whether or nor to take the job. It's not that I didn't want it or see myself as part of Street Sense's future. But I wanted to be sure that was the right decision for Street Sense. Thanks to the support and encouragement of the many, many people who read, write and care about the paper, I've decided to stay on permanently.

If this lengthy note is the first time we've met — hi! I'm Annemarie. I'm from Oklahoma and went to college in D.C. I first worked with Street Sense in 2020, was hired as a staff reporter in 2022 and have been running things since October. I've known for several years I'd like to be an editor at a local publication and I'm so excited I get to do that here.

When I first wrote to you all this fall about Street Sense's search for a new editor, I asked for grace. I've recieved it tenfold, so I feel a bit guilty asking for more, but the transition period isn't over yet. We'll be hiring a deputy editor soon (let me know if you're interested) and making big plans for the new year.

Street Sense is up against a lot, between layoffs, going back to biweekly and the general sturggle to survive as a print paper. My goal is to build an editorial department that can rise to meet those challenges.

In the next few months, we'll be launching a survey to learn what we can do to improve. I'm hoping to publish more original content, increase our social media reach and reboot the Homeless Crisis Reporting Project. In the long term, I'll work to make Street Sense more sustainable, whether that means growing the staff, paying interns or both. I want to involve vendors in all parts of the paper, from writing, to design, to editing, to eventually working as full-time staff.

These ideas are not mine, but the product of many conversations with vendors, customers and staff. And there are coversations that I want to keep having. Please let me know if you have ideas you want to share, and if you can, donate to Street Sense to help us achieve these goals.

I did not have the 2023 I expected. I'm sure some of you feel the same. But I know that we can make 2024 a transformational, caring and vibrant year together.

□

Street Sense Media follows the federal government for weather closures. On a bad weather day, check the office status by going to opm.gov/status.

□

Find a list of vendor announcements and other useful information just for you at streetsensemedia. org/vendor-info.

Annemarie Cuccia, editor-in-chief

In December, Street Sense Media was able to celebrate the holidays with a fantastic party, thanks to the generosity of our donors and the D.C. Public Service Commission (PSC). We enjoyed good food and karaoke, and vendors left with gift bags to help them get through the winter. Thanks so much to the PSC’s Good Neighbor Initiative team of volunteers, and happy holidays!

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

Vendors and staff (above) and volunteers (below) at the holiday party.

Photos courtesy of Street Sense staff

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS Beverly Brown, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Madeleine McCollough EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Annemarie Cuccia

ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Lalita Clozel (Film), Willie Schatz (Writing), Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater), Rachel Dungan (Podcast)

OPINION EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Candace Montague EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS J.M. Acsienzo, Josh Axelrod, Ryan Bacic, Casey Bacot, Dakota Bragato, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Lenika Cruz, August Ditcher, Anne

Eigeman, Matt Gannon, Dan Goff, Grier Hall, Alison Henry, Annabella Hoge, Micah Levey, Benjamin Litoff, Kate Malloy, Zach Montellaro, Taylor Nichols, Anisa Noor, Kathryn Owens, Roman Peregrino, Cari Shane, Rachel Siegal, Jessica

Webster, Miles Wilson, Elise Zaidi

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.”

4 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

NEWS

Remembering the 90 people who died without a home in DC in 2023 TAYLOR NICHOLS Freelance Reporter

A

Housing advocates marched from Freedom Plaza to the Church of the Epiphany in downtown D.C. to raise awareness for those who died while unhoused in 2023. Photos by Taylor Nichols

s the year came to a close, three housing advocates stood at the front of the Church of the Epiphany, reading a list of initials to honor those who died while experiencing homelessness in 2023.

The memorial was part of the 11th annual vigil remembering people who died while homeless in the past year. The two-day event began Dec. 20 and was hosted by the People for Fairness Coalition (PFFC), a group of formerly unhoused people that advocate for and provide outreach to homeless community members.

Last year, at least 90 people died without a home in the District, according to a list compiled

by The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness and service providers. At the vigil, each person is remembered by their initials and age, to protect their privacy. The youngest person honored was S.G., who died at 22 years old. The oldest was D.A., age 82.

Two-thirds of people who died unhoused had housing vouchers and were waiting to move into their apartment, according to the list provided by PFFC. Although the mayor and D.C. Council have made record investments in housing assistance, inefficiencies in the process mean people are waiting more than four months on average to get into housing.

The vigil is an annual reminder of those who often die unnoticed in the city.

“I always hope that it will be the last year that I have to do this,” longtime housing advocate Dana Woolfolk said at the event. “I'm always hopeful that we will finally be able to figure out how to provide housing for everyone who needs it.”

The vigil began on Dec. 20 at Luther Place Memorial Church, where advocates spoke about their experiences with homelessness and honored those who died. The group then marched to Freedom Plaza, carrying an empty coffin and chanting “Housing is a human right.”

“It's really, really sad that we have to have these vigils every year, because there should be no one unhoused dying without the dignity of a home,” said PFFC assistant director Rachelle Ellison at the opening ceremony.

Last year, 77 people were remembered at the vigil. This year, at least 90 people died while experiencing homelessness, largely due to intoxication and natural causes, according to data from the medical examiner’s office. However, advocates said lack of access to health care while homeless is also a significant factor.

The first day of the vigil ended with a community gathering to share a meal. D.C. Ward 4 City Councilmember Janeese Lewis George attended to honor Ward 4 resident David Ashburn, who died in July. Ashburn experienced homelessness in D.C. for 30 years and had recently been matched to a housing voucher. Lewis George said her team worked closely with him to get him housed.

“He was a part of our community. We loved him, our community loved him,” Lewis George said. “His life mattered. And the lives of those we are honoring today, who lost their lives and houses in the city matter.”

Attendees also remembered Leo Colter, who was shot in McPherson Square in October.

“He was a great big teddy bear,” Ellison said of Colter. “He was very respectful.”

Ellison said PFFC served Colter every week through outreach services. When she discovered his ashes went unclaimed, she went to retrieve them and give him a proper burial, as she had done for others who died unhoused.

However, the medical examiner’s office told her there would be a $485 charge to pick up his ashes, something that had always been free. Now, PFFC is advocating that D.C. waive fees or provide funding for nonprofits seeking to honor those whose remains aren’t retrieved by friends and family.

“These are human beings that already lived a very traumatic life, and why can't they be put to rest in a proper way?” Ellison said. “If their life was nothing but pain and agony, can't we, even if just in death, give them some type of recognition that they existed in this society and on this earth?”

Why do so many people die?

Each year, dozens of people die while experiencing homelessness in the city, often at ages much younger than the general population. Being homeless increases the risk of experiencing violence, trauma, health and medical problems, mental health issues and substance use disorders.

For many, illness and injury can also lead to job loss, which means losing access to health insurance and the means to pay for medical treatment.

Together, an increased risk of health care problems and barriers to treatment mean those who are homeless die 12 years earlier, on average, than the general population in the United States.

Data obtained by Street Sense from the medical examiner’s office shows at least 84 people died while homeless in 2023. About 62% of those deaths were accidental due to intoxication, which includes overdoses. Just 14% of deaths this year were due to natural causes, down from 22% last year. Four people were victims of homicide in 2023.

It can take up to 90 days to determine cause of death, the Washington Post reported, which means the majority of deaths in winter months aren’t included in those numbers, accounting for the difference with the numbers from the vigil. As a result, the percentages could change when more data becomes available.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Nationally, homeless people have been acutely impacted by the growing fentanyl crisis.

PFFC Co-director Robert Warren said many people in D.C. are struggling in the aftermath of the pandemic, resulting in more mental health and substance abuse problems.

“Coming through the pandemic, it's been hard on all of us. And it's been a lot of trauma for the community,” Warren said. “We’ve got to do a better job of dealing with people’s trauma.”

Warren said many people are dying from preventable causes and need health and wellness support to begin healing from the trauma that they’re been exposed to while unhoused.

Advocates also argue people are on the streets longer than they need to be. Long wait times between getting a housing voucher and getting into housing were a top issue at last year’s vigil – more than half of those remembered in 2022 died while waiting for housing.

Each day a person spends unhoused means an increased risk for experiencing violence, extreme temperatures, exposure to illness and difficulty obtaining medical treatment and preventative care.

On the morning of Dec. 21, advocates and community members hand-delivered budget recommendations to each city council member’s office. PFFC recommended allocating $1.6 billion to fund housing programs, new shelters and burials or cremations for people who die while homeless.

The group met with Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, sharing concerns about the quality and efficiency of current housing services available and advocating for better training for case managers.

“I will take this to heart in terms of advocating for more funding for these programs,” Parker said.

“But I also really want to think about how do we hold government accountable, how do we hold meaningful oversight?”

The vigil ended with a memorial service and a community meal at the Church of the Epiphany.

The service was held on National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day, in tandem with vigils nationwide.

“Today, we remember people we've lost and honor their memory,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, speaking at the church. “But it's important that we don't just remember and honor them at memorial services. We have to carry their memory and that hope with us when we feel like this work is too hard. When we feel that we aren’t making enough progress, when we feel frustrated and angry. Hopefully when we remember, it helps to provide us with a new purpose as we go forward, as we stay in the fight.”

//

5

Co-director of the People for Fairness Coalition Robert Warren addressed a group of advocates and community members after they marched to the Church of the Epiphany.

Rachelle Ellison, assistant director for the People for Fairness Coalition, discusses the nonprofit’s budget recommendations to fund housing with Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker.

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George remembers her constituent David Ashmore.

6 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

2024 HOPES AND

Remora House

W

hile we hope to see increased time and money being spent on providing housing and needed services to unhoused people, we are not optimistic about the state of homelessness in Washington, D.C. in 2024. A recent Department of Housing and Urban Development report notes homelessness in the United States grew 12% from 2022 to 2023. Alongside this increase in homelessness, the criminalization of homelessness has rapidly increased, and New York and California have gone as far as attempting to legalize forced institutionalization as a means of getting unhoused people off the streets. In D.C., criminalization is urged by the “tough on crime” Democrats who wish to see increased funding for police and encampment evictions, undermining the long efforts of Housing First advocates who understand housing as the primary solution to homelessness.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeless encampments in Washington, D.C., like much of the nation, grew rapidly. In 2021 unhoused people in the city experienced a massive spree of criminalization that uprooted them from their support communities and pushed them into smaller encampments spread across the city.

This made it harder for housing service providers and mutual aid groups to find and support the city’s most marginalized residents. This not only made daily life harder for unhoused people, it also drastically slowed down the housing process. Between 2022 and 2023, homelessness in D.C. increased by 11.6%. While the CARE pilot program coupled a weak Housing First initiative with the eviction of D.C.’s largest encampments, it did nothing to overcome the underlying forces of homelessness, high housing cost, low wages and unequal access to medical treatment. Police, fences and concrete barriers do nothing to get people into housing. While 2024 could witness renewed funding for housing and services, we fear the wave of criminalization will overtake the city’s response to homelessness.

For this issue, Street Sense reached out to a few dozen local and national organizations that shape housing and homelessness policy to hear their predictions about 2024. Here are some of the responses.

Daniel del Pielago, Empower DC

A

s the 2023 year closed out, D.C. landlords evicted close to 1,200 individuals and families, the D.C. Housing Authority's public housing stock had 1,900-plus vacant units and its occupied units continued to deteriorate. These numbers are just a few indicators that Washington, D.C., its government leaders and the private sector are proactively forcing people from their homes and not using available resources to keep District residents from experiencing homelessness.

As we brace for another round of cuts to safety net services in the 2024 budget, we have to reaffirm that D.C.’s Black, people of color and low-income residents deserve better. We must organize and put power behind demands that will truly give D.C. residents a “fair shot.”

Brit Ruffin, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

H

omelessness in D.C. increased nearly 12% from 2022 to 2023. Unfortunately, homelessness and housing insecurity will continue to increase without a strong and consistent investment by D.C. government in housing resources and a commitment to addressing the lack of affordability. The most recent budget investment was disappointing and will impact what homelessness looks like in 2024. D.C. has the financial resources to make a substantial difference in the lives of its residents — however, as this next budget season starts, it remains to be seen whether those resources will actually be used to prioritize residents’ most basic needs. Housing saves lives. In 2024, we’re hopeful that the mayoral administration and D.C. Council will be motivated to find the will and the funding to make a real commitment towards ending homelessness in D.C.

Councilmember Robert White, Housing Committee Chair

I

n my first year chairing the Housing Committee, we tackled important issues for residents: Securing millions in emergency rental assistance to keep people in their homes; diagnosing delays in the housing voucher process and passing legislation to streamline the system to get more unhoused residents into homes; conducting strong oversight of the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) to root out corruption and ensure the agency is meeting its mission for residents; and welcoming a new permanent DCHA director in November. We still have an incredible amount to do, and in 2024 my team and I will continue to work on deep-seated issues in D.C.’s housing system.

We’ll continue to work on speeding up the voucher process and look at how to improve ongoing support for voucher holders in their new homes, provide oversight of and support to DCHA as the new director develops a recovery plan to get the agency back on track for residents, tackle ongoing challenges like unaddressed slum conditions in privately owned buildings, ensure programs like D.C.’s Home Purchase Assistance Program support low-income residents, amplify the voice of communities in determining the development of their neighborhoods, reimagine affordable housing in downtown D.C. and more. You can expect us to continue bringing the Housing Committee to the community in 2024 to hear from residents and get raw feedback on our work. A headwind making much of this work more challenging is the mayor’s drastic cutting of the District’s human services and service providers. Nevertheless, we head into the new year with our work cut out for us, and we’re motivated every day by the opportunity to solve problems and make life better for residents.

PREDICTIONS

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

//

7

Donald Whitehead, National Coalition for the Homeless

I

have a great deal of optimism about the upcoming year. Although I do predict we will see an increase in the numbers of those experiencing homelessness again, I believe the multiple efforts around messaging will take hold as the population demographics include more seniors, veterans and people experiencing homelessness. The issue of homelessness will have a more significant role in our political discourse. While still fragmented and siloed, the national homeless advocacy movement has been more unified than I have seen in many years.

Issues such as criminalization, housing justice and poverty are part of advocacy messages at a far greater level.

The idea of state-level advocacy is much more popular and will impact place-based decisions like inclusionary zoning and criminalization. I am hopeful that Congress will be able to create legislation at a much higher rate. More than 70 bills that would have a dramatic impact on

Ami Angell, h3 Project

T

he h3 Project hopes that 2024 will bring about more awareness and advocacy for those experiencing homelessness. Which, in turn, will generate more action towards viable options in lessening the trauma of being housed, while awaiting placement. 2023 brought far too many deaths to clients loved by h3 staff. Among some that hit me the hardest are Brett "Brittany" Prue (3/6/23), James Theodore "Wolf" Duckett (2/2/23), Jake Moore (3/26/23), Lisa Wiles (10/31/23), Susan Worley (11/5/23), Robert Woodrow "Papa Murphy" Murphy (11/26/23), Charmaine Evans (10/25/23), andPatrick Bernard McGahee (8/2/23). Each of these individuals I — and all of h3 staff — cared deeply about, and their time on this earth was cut far too short. I firmly believe that all of their deaths could have been avoided had we (as a collective society) had a better understanding of what it is like to feel as if the world has turned against you — so much to the point — that you are literally living on the streets, self-medicating while losing hope in yourself and others.

The h3 Project's hope is that "eliminating homelessness" will become a policy forefront for politicians. That affordable housing is not just a suggestion, but becomes a reality in the District.

The h3 Project's intent as an organization for 2024 is to continue expanding operations while providing quality services to D.C.'s most vulnerable. We will never sacrifice quality over quantity when it comes to staffing and resources. We firmly believe that EVERY resident in D.C. deserves to feel safe and secure in a home, while in good health and filled with happiness. (The h3 Project stands for "home, health, happiness.")

the homeless sit on the desks of policymakers while more and more people die on our streets.

What gives me the greatest hope is a well-planned and organized grassroots effort called Bring America Home Now, which has the resources needed to return to the direct action strategies that have been the only way that real progress has impacted the issue of homelessness.

Finally, after years, those in leadership at federal agencies, the advocacy community involved in homelessness and those in power have recognized the value of incorporating people with lived experience in their work.

No one understands the realities of homelessness better than someone who has experienced it.

The insights of people with lived experience are invaluable in identifying the practical needs and gaps in existing services. Their unique perspective can help shape policies that are more realistic, effective and suitable for the needs of others experiencing homelessness. Involving them in homelessness advocacy can help break the stereotypes and misconceptions about homelessness.

They can provide a firsthand account of their struggles due to our fractured safety net.

Theresa Silla, DC Interagency Council on Homelessness

A

s we look forward into 2024, we must be realistic and forthright about where we stand because this is a challenging time. We are seeing more residents in our shelters, and we no longer have access to the recovery dollars we had during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we expect we will have to do more with less.

Amidst trying times, we believe we are up to the task because we have a strong track record of rising to the challenge. We have proven that the city can successfully innovate creative solutions through strong public-private partnerships. The robust partnerships between city government agencies and our community-based organizations has reduced family homelessness by more than 70% in the last seven years. So, while we don’t have all the answers right now, we are focused on figuring it out in community by creating a strategic planning process that is inclusive and accessible, that centers the voices of our clients and the front-line staff.

Join us and be a part of the movement for ending homelessness in the District. We are finalizing our schedule of meetings for 2024 and will be posting it to ich.dc.gov/events.

Rachelle Ellison, People for Fairness Coalition (PFFC)

I

predict that the voices of advocates of D.C. are being heard and the D.C Council will hold the mayor accountable when it comes to human services programs and that the vouchers will be used in 2024 because advocates in D.C. made a lot of noise in 2023 during budget season.

I believe we still have a lot of work to do but we will make a difference in collaboration with our coalition partners this year in helping the unhoused get housing.

Rachelle Ellison, Qaadir El-Amin and Reginald Black of PFFC have been tapped to be at the Coordinated Assessment and Housing Placement table and do Homeless Management Information Systen street outreach. I believe the more individuals with lived experience they hire or choose for the Department of Human Services peer academy we will see movement in the right direction.

PFFC members have been appointed to the Poverty Commission and the Medical Care Advisory Commission.

PFFC as a whole will continue to move towards our mission of helping those unhoused through advocacy, peer mentoring, and outreach.

8 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

ART

Hotel Harrington “The last caravanserai” —

FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

A

“caravanserai” is typically a pensione, or small hotel, where travelers (and merchantpeddlers) may lay their heads — for a modest sum — on a soft pillow and a firm, clean bed. Since 1913, the Harrington has stood proudly a block from 12th and Pennslyvania, looming over its quaint peaked-roof neighbors, even though the lordly Raleigh shadowed it for 65 years.

By the time the Raleigh was razed for the Presidential Building, a concrete ice cube put up in 1966, Hotel Harrington was the prime spot for budget tourists mobbing our capital city. Today, after enduring riots, political demonstrations, a deadly pandemic — and simply the buffeting of the winds of change that have swept away more than two-thirds of old established D.C. businesses — the Harrington is marching off into the dust.

Now the tan tapestried-brick hulk of the Harrington, delicately trimmed in terra-cotta floral trim deliciouslooking enough to munch, may be chomped to death by wrecking crane. But who can say?

A death knell or we’ll all be well Many local passersby on E Street will continue to ponder the fate of the humble, yet storied Harrington.

Who will make the highest bid in an upcoming house auction for the weathered “Employees Entrance” plate over the dungeon-like hatchway to the hotel’s tenebrious lower chambers?

This correspondent found himself in the glassed-in entry on Eleventh Street. The door was already locked — it was only Dec. 11. The official closing date was 36 hours away. The operations manager Miss Terry gave me scant information in her terse recorded message. A stooped, shiny-pated man in a bright crimson sports jacket and wrinkled khakis exited past from the deserted lobby.

“How does it feel to be here at the close of the Harrington?”

The Harrington Hotel closed in December. Photos by Frederic John “No comment,” was his terse reply, and he rushed off.

Next door, at the homey dairy, Harriet's, a stocky but smiling member of the operating staff named Rob hailed the writer. “Hey, this place had a long run, longer than a Broadway show!” he laughed. “But, it's a designated national historic landmark, maybe we’ll have the walls at least to look at.”

The mirrored dining room of Harriet’s reflected the ghosts of clattering china, clinking flatware and the savory aroma of heaps of hot grub, bangers and mash, being gobbled down by Boy Scouts, attorneys, hustlers, gamblers and numerous wayfarers trailing all the way back to the days of Woodrow Wilson.

The fabled “kitchiteria,” and even the studios of legendary WGMS radio classical movie station right upstairs in a rooftop studio of the glorious Hotel Harrington, all gone.

And now — the curtain falls.

Scenes from the last days of the Harrington.

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

//

9

PEACEFUL TOBIAS Artist/Vendor CHRIS COLE Artist/Vendor

For 2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR! ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor

FRED WALKER Artist/Vendor

For the new year, I want to: • Change my life.

• Stay away from negative people.

• Thank God for waking me up in the morning.

My 2024 bucket list AIDA PEERY Artist/Vendor

Be careful what you pray for ‘cause God never gives us anything we can’t handle.

I'm praying for: • A donated stainless steel refrigerator.

• A new, clean stove.

• A voucher in the vicinity of where I sell my Street Sense papers.

• Winning the biggest lottery so I can enjoy life before I become 70.

• My children, my grandchildren, my close friends and their families, my Street Sense staff and colleagues and my customers and their families to enjoy lots of good health during these trying times.

Happy New Year, everyone!

10 / / S T R E E T S E NSE M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

OPINION

Minimum wage and cost of living: It’s not adding up LORI SMITH

A

s of January 2024, the minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 an hour, and that hasn’t changed since 2009.

A single person working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, before taxes, earns $15,080 annually at this rate.

From Alabama to Wyoming, there is nowhere within the United States that one person can afford the total annual expenditures associated with the cost of living while making the minimum wage. For example, Mississippi is currently the cheapest state to live in the country. However, even if two people were working at minimum wage full-time, their earned gross income would still only be $30,160, far short of the cheapest cost of living Mississippi offers. This doesn’t include the additional expenses that two people bring to cost of living considerations with food and other necessities.

The cost of living is the amount of money required to meet basic expenses. This includes housing (shelter), food, clothing, taxes, health care and affording the rest of the necessities that qualify a person as being self-sufficient and independent. The cost of living, while defined and redefined by people differently in their life survival strategies, is what you require to sustain and maintain basic needs.

At a bare minimum, as a human being, what people need to sustain life is air, shelter, water and food. The “rule of threes” states you can only survive “three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water and three weeks without food.” Three hours without shelter might seem like an exaggeration, but this survival rule is designed to help those facing emergency survival situations prioritize properly so they can stay alive until rescue, and does not account for clothing because of exposure. The rule is a guideline to help people make quick decisions about survival tasks.

There is a close relationship between the cost of living and survival. Survival tactics and the cost of living are often referenced together because they are so linked. Prepping, survivalist strategies and “minimalist” approaches to budgeting and living are just some of the popular articles that keyword searches on “cost of living” and “survival” return on any internet search engine. In fact, a subsistence lifestyle is the only option for many rural residents living in the largest

state of Alaska. People live off — and with — the land on multiple levels for economic necessity. The cost of living in Alaska is 26.6% above the national average, with a total annual expenditure of $84,731.

D.C. has a cost of living that is only beaten out by New York and Hawaii. The average base salary in D.C. is $82,000.

A conservative estimate of the cost of living for the District places it at $78,809 annually, and those are 2021 estimates. The cost of living in 2023 estimates place it at closer to $110,000.

The median consensus on the District’s true cost of living is $92,000 when comparing multiple sources. Since 2021, costs of living have continued to dramatically increase. While the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, D.C.’s new law sets it at $17 an hour. The cost of housing is the most significant category of increase, 148% greater than the cost of housing averages in the rest of the United States. This means that even when people are making the average base salary of $82,000, or taking a job for the first time in the District, the costs of living continue to outpace what they predicted their expenses would be annually, year-by-year.

The District’s minimum wage of $17 an hour highlights that when working full-time, the earned gross income is still just $35,360. With our social safety net in tatters, and the need for social services continuing to go unacknowledged with undercounts, while simultaneously underfunded, underdistributed, understaffed and reduced in all ways, with the implication that there is a concerted effort underway to phase them out because they are ineffective and a waste of resources anyway, Washington, D.C. is deluding itself with the alternate idea that the poor and homeless just need to “work” their way to success. The facts and evidence indicate the contrary. The goalposts keep changing, and even with two or three jobs at the low-income level, sustaining and maintaining oneself independently will lead to earlier deaths and more work-related injuries and disability.

The pressures and stresses of what D.C. demands in costs of living alone are shared by the majority, as indicated by the average base salary that barely affords people a struggling entry point to almost, but not quite, meet all their expenses as a single individual. However, these pressures and stresses don’t help alleviate the social ills and problems people complain about

either. The facts beg an important question about how D.C. can generate a more fair, just and equitable community that manages its resources more effectively and redresses where it has fallen short. The increasing numbers of elderly and disabled in the streets, and other homeless, are what we can expect from a set of economic and survival circumstances that outpaces our ability to adapt, no matter how hard we work.

Having more money than you need is a type of privilege that many don’t have. Viewing the world through the perspective of what money affords and legislating or judging others by that standard is a considerable fallacy. It’s a privilege to believe that others will take care of things, that services are better than they are or that if one just does the leg work, one can get what one needs, with the right steps. It’s mistaken to think that anything else is a character defect.

Poverty is sustained when those orchestrating or delivering public service promote this, and when they can’t even get the facts, figures or numbers right. The evidence is all around us, yet every day, policy and decision-makers continue to come to the wrong conclusions about the roots of the problems. While who is poor or homeless begs further questions regarding equity, as well as social and racial justice, we cannot ignore class and wealth disparity and those increasing impacts. It does not promote the general social welfare and prosperity for all parts of society to let class differences among those who have much to go unchecked where it is overlooking the facts. While people may assume their policymakers are making the right decisions and are amicable and likable, we aren’t seeing that in the results.

Instead of serving and administrating to people appropriately, while finding ways to poll them and include them democratically in the services that are intended to serve them, D.C. is furthering classism that generates detrimental and egregious results instead. The homeless and low-income people of D.C. need democratic buy-in and ownership to be leaders in the lives they struggle and work so hard for, including what they have suffered. I would like to see less hate and a more concerted effort to get real and honest on the part of government, management, service and the wealthy class.

Lori Smith is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

The sacrificers ANGIE WHITEHURST

The sacrificers do not have to do Take a look at who they are No accolades are in order Just say “Thank you.”

The first sacrificer: Vanessa Fluker.

The attorney stood outside the U.S. Department of Justice.

A local Detroit attorney with a rare form of blood cancer, Fluker traveled to D.C. to seek justice for decades of abuse for Detroit residents who are being plagued with systemic oppression and racism in housing practices resulting in the loss of property rights.

Fluker is a warrior and the people’s lawyer. She filed a complaint with the Department of Justice on Dec. 15. The complaint asks for an investigation into racist systemic practices in the areas of property owner and tenant rights in Michigan. Fluker came to D.C. even while suffering from a

rare cancer that requires daily infusions, as she was determined to make sure the complaint was accepted and verified.

Fluker was told the only way to know the complaint was received was to bring it straight to D.C. Of course, the very nice security officers explained she must contact someone in the building to come and accept the documents.

Instead of submitting the original personally, Fluker held a press conference at the Constitution Avenue entrance. When asked about the impact on homeless people, she stated “The systemic racism caused and is the cause of homelessness.”

Vanessa Fluker is a sacrificer. She could have stayed home and focused on her own survival.

You never know who is going to help change the world.

Fluker is also a minister. Do you think hope and spiritual prayers play a part in this?

Stay tuned as we follow what is happening with questionable housing practices in Detroit. Will the Department of Justice

Attorney Vanessa Fluker with advocate Rose Forrest.

Photo by Angie Whitehurst

come to the aid of the residents in Detroit? Will Fluker's sacrifice and action help lead to a legal precedent for the entire country?

Angie Whitehurst is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

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

//

11

Addressing gun violence and juvenile crime: A call for community action MAURICE SPEARS Artist/Vendor

In the vibrant community of D.C., the rise in gun violence and juvenile crime has alarmed local leaders, including judges, prosecutors and the mayor. As they grapple with these pressing issues, it is crucial to explore effective strategies that address the root causes and provide support to the youth.

One proposed solution is to focus on intervention and prevention programs. Placing troubled individuals in boot camps, educational institutions and counseling centers can provide them with the necessary tools to navigate their frustrations, family dynamics and personal relationships.

Collaborating with the Department of Behavioral Health can also offer valuable resources for addressing mental health concerns.

Recognizing that life can be a confusing journey for many

young individuals, it is vital to foster understanding and empathy. Equipping them with life skills through various programs can help them express their emotions and navigate challenges effectively. By focusing on fostering positive school environments and strengthening community organizations and nonprofits, we can make a significant impact.

Rather than solely blaming city officials, the entire community needs to come together to make a difference.

Mobilizing various organizations, entrepreneurs and businesses can bring diverse perspectives and resources to the table. By collaborating with these stakeholders, we can create sustainable solutions and make our community safer.

Additionally, we must not forget the plight of homeless children. Many of these vulnerable youth resort to stealing food

and other items due to limited resources. It is our collective responsibility to address their needs and provide them with the necessary support systems. Establishing outreach programs and food banks can help alleviate their hardships.

In the pursuit of a safer community, one where the death rate is reduced, it is clear that a multifaceted approach is necessary.

By combining the efforts of community organizations, entrepreneurs, and government entities, we can create lasting change. It is time for us to unite and work towards a brighter future for D.C. Maurice Spears is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

The truth and underlying issues with homelessness INVISIBLE PROPHET Artist/Vendor

I want to address the matter of safety in women, men, youth and LGBTQ+ shelters. In recent months I have experienced family domestic violence. Yes, it is unheard of, family domestic violence is a detrimental issue in society that is not discussed enough. This is an issue with the same fallacies occurring daily as societal secrecies within family dynamics.

The feeling of being victimized again when trying to grow through trauma leaving a family domestic violence situation is incomprehensible. My first experience here in a D.C. shelter became an environment of friction for me leading to fear for my life. An individual from the local government who used to live in the state where I lived took it upon himself to call my state and family without consent. My family and their allies let me know I'm visible.

This person caused an event for me to be jumped. I had to defend myself, however, security and other employees intervened.

ART

The shelter I temporarily stayed at had men and women, which was confusing. You have women who think it's okay to set up other women to be jumped or trafficked for their gain, and men who are predators.

Because of these incidents, I needed to obtain psychiatric for a few days to regulate the friction that had triggered emotional duress. Now I am at another shelter that is part of the same organization. People are pretending to be homeless. At this women's shelter, I am receiving retaliation and abuse from employees with the threat of being transferred to a worse shelter.

I had written a grievance and nothing had transpired. Safety has been jeopardized. Now, I've been involuntarily committed.

The case managers are useless in the shelters because they gaslight you into believing they’ll help with housing, addiction or mental health services but they do not. Then there is the matter of “doing favors” in these places for the individuals

“maintaining” the shelters. Sometimes those “favors” can help you move further into housing. Meanwhile, everyone who wants assistance is asking for protection so the individual can move away where her family cannot find her.

What the politicians say happens for the homeless, it does not, because there are so many elemental aspects to human growth and healing trauma. Politicians have no idea of the personal grounding to the human existence that the government creates with the corporations, shell companies and other organizations who continue to hike the rent. They are creating a word for humanity using government credentials under the titles and loopholes in the system.

We need our voices to be heard and not fear the mass of unstable political persons who run a country broken into puzzle pieces trying to control the masses of God’s children.

Invisible Prophet is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Imperative

Everything must change

ANDRE BALTIMORE Artist/Vendor

JEFFREY CARTER Artist/Vendor

Do you ever feel outer space or ever out of place for respect in the form of emancipate to ever live as indicted waste in a sun-to-moon recycle case but everybody wanted you arrested yet you fit the pace

Young people become old.

Seasons change and people don’t go unchanged.

The time also changes, even the moon of our solar system changes monthly, to eight different phases.

Even our ocean changes, the tides go in and out.

Even human behavior changes, like relationships.

12 / / S TR E E T S E NSE M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16, 2024

ART

My great vacation

Sidechick resurrection

DWAYNE BUTLER

LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

Artist/Vendor

I went to South Carolina to visit my mother’s side of the family. I ate turkey, roast beef, rice and gravy, mac and cheese, greens, green beans, stuffed eggs, sweet potato pie and pecan pie. (No, not all at once!) We had several big dinners at my aunt and uncle’s place.

We also visited restaurants such as TBonz Gill and Grill in James Island, where we feasted on steak, fish, broccoli, baked potatoes and fried pickles.

We drank iced tea, Coke, ginger ale and wine. Then there was Texas Roadhouse on the North Charleston side of town, where we downed thick steaks, fried okra, baked potatoes with sweet cinnamon butter and cream, more fried pickles and french fries. We drank gin, spiced rum, wine and juice.

But we didn’t just eat. We saw the USS Yorktown CV-10 Essex-class aircraft carrier in Mt. Pleasant. I shopped a lot at Walmart and Costco. We watched the Cowboys smash the Commanders on Thanksgiving Day. That was the lowest point of my otherwise wonderful visit.

I like pricking people’s minds like a pinky finger poking, now you got pink eye but is your third eye blind from being three doors down? All up into where I shine. Trying to pick a deal cause you heard that I grind! Making you all mine, like a happy Valentine! Yeah, I got some cards but only some of them signed.

See there again, I caught your mind like you’re being taught up and brought up off the vine. Your lifeline for a lifetime. Guilty conscience eating at you each and every time! Sight beyond sight gives the perfect insight shedding light.

Now if they were out of sight then I only would’ve known about it in hindsight. Retrospect.

Boy, get your check! Check yourself. Have some self-respect! Now check your chick. Sidechick.

If you’re both side by side, then they can’t both coincide, then they are about bound to collide, and there will be no more “joy” ride. As of right now, it’s Friday and we trying to get this fish fried cause somebody lied and couldn’t be true. Is that you? Now the skies are gray when they used to be blue! Aw, leave me be. I’m thinking heavenly, heavily like that’s a place and space I’d like to be! Somewhere embedded deeply down in your memories. Remember me!? Looking for the directory to the resurrectory. They may have got my mind but they won’t get the rest of me. Girl, you’re only tired. Now take a rest from me! Rescue me. Why not, girl, take all of me!? Now watch you just only try and take on me! Girl, talk to me, but try not to interrupt when I watch the movie! Now look at this girl. Come to find out she doesn’t even want any money from me, baby.

Faces

My time in federal prison

DON GARDNER Artist/Vendor

GERALD ANDERSON Artist/Vendor

Many looks Smiles, frowns Made-up clowns Vibes or disguise Escapes the wise Upper body language At its best Controlling the mood Daring to rule Magnified great Waste of hate A welcome approach That’s close enough Smooth or rough Rare to touch Knowing its power Stares to devour Savored with flavor Your closed neighbor Not a single word In their own world Traced in all places Placed on all faces

I knew my way around Louisiana State Penitentiary.

That was before Katrina and before I got out and got sent to D.C. After getting sentenced I got caught selling drugs in D.C., and the feds sentenced me to 70 months — almost 6 years.

That’s when I realized that being in District court is nothing to play with.

Why I say that is because it is so quiet you can hear a rat piss on cotton. Everyone in there be shakin.’ One thing you know, you not goin’ home and you gonna get some time, unless you’re a rat.

I was in a holding cell waiting to get sentenced with some guy from Virginia. A few of my co-defendants were in the cell across.

One called to me through the bars.

He said, “That guy you in the cell with — he a rat.” He had on a black and white stripe uniform, which is what the rats wear. I was in a pumpkin suit — an orange jumpsuit.

I get escorted to the jail in a van and I was thinkin’ about the 70 months. I was sayin’ to myself, at least I’m not in the jail hospital or graveyard. They had all that there at the D.C. jail.

Six months after being sentenced, I heard them come by the cell at 2:30 in the morning.

They said, “Pack up your things.” And they told me I would be sent to the federal system.

After travelin’ in a bus with everyone in shackles and handcuffs, they told me I was going to Fairton, a federal correctional

institution in New Jersey.

They told me what dormitory I was going to.

It was really funny to me, because guys there look different and they do things differently.

In the federal prison, you run with people based on where they are from — D.C. in my case. In state prison, it’s every man for himself.

In federal prison, you run with your state. You can mingle, but you gotta check to see who you’re in there with — you can find out on the computer who is a rat. You don’t deal with rats.

There are three men in a cell. It was cool.

I got to know my roommates. We would talk all night. We got a pool table and a TV on the wall. They lock the cell at 9:30 p.m.

We had guys who made nachos, pizza,and pigs in a blanket. They made the dough with water and bread and rolled it out with a broomstick or something. They took candy bars and cookies and broke them down with water and bread and made cakes. Apple pie too.

One day I went into the kitchen, and they always had food passed under the table. That’s when I found out the Gambino family was there at their own table. They mostly have school degrees. They got big-time — life sentences, some of them.

After a while, I got assigned to the kitchen to work. That’s when I got more familiar with the Gambinos. 'Cause they paid me for getting things outta the kitchen for them, like raw eggs, flour, salt, pepper, hot stuff and garlic.

'Cause they like to make their own food.

The guards didn’t mess with them. So they

got away with stuff. If I got caught, I got away with nothin’ I was good at makin’ hooch, homemade liquor, like beer — homemade brew — also called jungle juice. You take pineapple, apricot, all kinds of fruit, and you strain it with a hairnet. You know how popular Obama’s shirt was when it first came out. That’s how popular prison hooch was.

You might sell it for two books of stamps or five cans of tuna. It was store items because you don’t get cash unless someone wired it to your account.

There’s always a hustle. Gamblin’. There’s football, say D.C. prisoners against St. Louis inmates. They might get into it — who won, who cheated, or who got knocked and then there be a riot. I was not gonna let my guys get beat up. Texas had the biggest group of guys.

We used a mop bucket and take two wires from a radio or anything and put it in the socket — it’s like you pop a socket with pencil lead.

Then it goes pop and we might make a bonfire from tissue paper. That’s how we warm food up. The guard would come ‘cause he smelled food cookin’ — he might write it up or he might say "bring me some." For grilled cheese, we would take bread and cheese, put it in a bag, and run the iron over the bag.

I completed my sentence and am now recovering from a serious accident. I live in low-income housing with the help of a home health care aide.

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

//

13

My Christmas and New Year JAMES BLACKMONE Artist/Vendor

My favorite holiday is Christmas because I spend time thinking about my mother and brother. Two years ago I lost my brother, and 18 years ago I lost my mother. I have a big family, and my family loves me, but I choose to be homeless all by myself because I see everyone else doing it.

In 2024 I want to be off these streets and living in my own place. I also want to stop doing bad things like drinking alcohol all the time. I’ve been drinking all by myself for a long time. When I was younger I told myself I wouldn’t be a drunk like my father and my brother. But I became an alcoholic just like they did.

Merry Christmas

Celebrating life

ANDRE BRINSON

JACKIE TURNER

Artist/Vendor

Artist/Vendor

Merry Christmas to all my customers and friends. I had a difficult year this year. I had heart surgery and haven’t been able to work to take care of my sweet little girl like I used to. I thank God she is a very understanding girl. I will always stay strong for her. She is coming to see me over the Christmas holidays and I am so happy to see her. I haven’t seen her since June. Merry Christmas to everyone I know. Thank God for good hearts. Peace and love to all. Merry Christmas.

People always think about family and friends when it comes to holidays. People feel that without friends and family, there is nothing to celebrate on holidays.

I say this is not the way it is.

You should learn your well-being does not depend on other people. Start with what makes you happy, self-assured and content. Build on that and ignore negative emotions, such as hurting someone. Instead, realize you have good health and it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive. Celebrate how often you look good. Stack your environment with items you like — soft colors, good food, movies and reading.

As the holidays approach, be happy with yourself and your life! If you don’t like something, change it. Never be down on yourself. Maximize the positive, minimize the negative and forget about the in-between.

Happy holidays to…me!

One door is closing, another one is opening DEGNON DOVONOU Artist/Vendor

Dear readers, The time has arrived when I can tell you a little bit about my journey during the closing of the year 2023 and my plan for the coming year in 2024. When the 2023 door closes, the 2024 door opens.

Let’s start with what I’ve seen in 2023. It has been a year of challenges, lessons learned and accomplishments. Each day of my life is one page of the history book I’m writing. To fill those pages I have to live through the events.

The year began with me sleeping on the street. I stayed there through April. Then I moved into Christ House with the help of Street Sense Media, Miriam’s Kitchen, Pathways to Housing and the People For Fairness Coalition. I started living a better life at Christ House. They took care of me like I was a child. I had my own bed. The staff connected me to the system. I had regular appointments with a doctor.

More good news: I obtained my documentation from the Citizenship and Immigration Services.

I applied for my ID and my driver's license. I moved to a transitional house where I cook my food and take a shower whenever I want.

I’d like to recognize my own sacrifice in making these things happen. Sacrifice means my self-devotion to complying and cooperating with all the relevant laws and orders. Oh, before I forget: I finally re-opened my banking for my company to be able to take my new journey to the next level.

I’ve made business plans for myself and my company. I will discuss with some banks and lenders how to be successful in the nation’s capital.

I especially want to thank all my customers for frequently buying my papers and reading my stories to help me keep hoping for a better and brighter future. We can all move to hero from zero if, and only if, we have a plan for each day, each week, each month and each year.

In conclusion, I say life is nice and dice to dive. Better to face challenges that help us overcome some changes. Being positive in front and within all situations is key to opening the door to a brighter future. That’s part of the mindset necessary for a homeless person to become a homeowner.

Happy New Year to all!

Fighting addiction during the holidays VENNIE HILL Artist/Vendor

This is here to give you some tricks and ideas to fight addiction over the holidays.

Remember, no matter if it's family or friends, don't go to places where you know that it'll be detrimental to your sobriety. Learn to focus on something different. If you see any triggers in your life, pick up the phone and call someone you can trust.

I'm here to tell you today that I am in outpatient. It's been so hard for me. I messed up three times since I've been in outpatient and I haven't even been out a month, but I'm working on getting back to inpatient. First of all, it was being confined for so long that I chose to pick up when I got out because I didn't focus on what my goal was. I was focusing on being free.

Stay sober. Focus on the goals that you have achieved. Give yourself a pat on the back and keep your eyes in the mirror and look at yourself each day and see how far you've come and how much you have changed. It’'s all about change and good behavior. It's all about focusing on just loving yourself and taking care of yourself.

I lost focus when I started focusing on other people when I first got out. Everybody was demanding, wanting everything I had to give. I don't have a lot but I took it on as a toll. But I got my focus back on straight and my therapist is trying to get me back in the program. I may have to start all over, but I refuse to live out here. I want to survive and I want to beat this thing.

One of my facilitators told me, “You realize you've been drinking 36 years.” You know, I haven't realized I've been drinking that long. That's more than half of my life, and that's why it's so hard to fight this battle, but I refuse to give up. I'm going to keep on each and every day trying to keep that drink out of my mouth.

Stay away from phony and fake people. They are not your friends — they live to get you high or get you drunk then get a kick out of it. Learn to walk away turn the other way, call somebody and use all your coping skills. Don't forget, it's all about you and your life and how you want to live it. It's hard. It ain't easy. We’ve got to do it every day just to stay sober and clean, but it's worth it. I love you all. Have a happy New Year.

14 / / S TR E E T S E N SE M ED IA // J AN . 3 - J AN . 16 2024 CROSSWORD

FUN & GAMES

It Isn’t Just Aardvarks

Puzzle by Patrick “Mac” McIntyre 1

It Isn’t Just Aardvarks

SOLUTION: Holiday Ear Worms

1

1. Depend (on) 5. [Attention-seeking throat clearing] 9. Zip 14. Orchestral instrument with a single consonant 15. Contact lens care brand 16. Admit (to) (2 wds.) (3,2) 17. Ocean giants whose name means blanket or cloak in Spanish (2 wds.) (5,4) (MAYAN ARTS anagram) 19. Midler of "Gypsy" or Davis of "All About Eve" 20. Word that may follow pink or stink 21. Spud 23. Kind of crucifix that sounds like something crass or impolite 24. Mole 25. MIT part (abbr.)

27. Deer playmate, in song 32. Wear and tear for poets and songwriters, maybe 36. Hooch 37. No-sweat G.P.A. booster (2 wds.) (4,1) 39. ____ blonde (hair hue with gray undertones) 40. Chance ____ lifetime (really big opportunity (2 wds.) (2,1) 41. Black ____ (Marvel Comics film character played by the late Chadwick Boseman) 43. "When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a ____": Yevgeny Yevtushenko 44. Hue found in "crimson-colored paint" 45. Meaning of veni in Caesar's oft-quoted "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (2 wds.) (1,4) 46. Baseball legend Satchel who still played at age 59 48. One with a trying responsibility?

(STREET anagram) 50. Disney's Dumbo or Seuss's Horton 52. Warts and all, as briefly as possible (2 wds.) (2,2) 54. "Hip Hop Is Dead" artist 55. Some NASA data-retrieval missions, briefly (initialism) 58. Alaska mountain or its national park 61. School of Buddhism 64. A hammer for His/Her Honor 66. A female of this hairy arachnid species may be as large as a dinner plate and can live for 25-30 years 68. Word repeated six times in the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" chorus 69. Potentially offensive, briefly (partial abbr./initialism) 70. "Sad to say ..."

71. So-called "common" thing that really isn't?

72. Extended Triangle or Legs-Up-the-Wall in a Yoga studio 73. Common cat food flavor

Down 1. Where the Vatican is 2. Internet auction locale 3. Kind of wolf 4. So far 5. Dry gully 6. Miami basketball team

12 16 19 22

D

2

50

B

4

S

D

I

N

J

O

L

L

O

T

B

S

O

O

37

45

3

O

33

42

I

A

34

31

Y M

U

G

O A

R

U

M

S

T

46

P

47

24

38 43

U

Y

E

S

S

R

I

S

O

M

E

I

I

I

B

L

T

56

14 17

N A

B

68

T O

20

G

F

O

65

30

13

L

M

61

23

5

66 69

6

P

7

A

8

O

D

A

H

A

P

P

Y

A

I

T

A

E

H

H

39

E

S O

51

62

25

C

26

O

21

32

S

O

R

C

O

M

S

O

F

H

I

N

P

U

S

T

N

35

63

48

58

M

49

R O P

E

S

O

E

O

L

E

S

27

40 44

P

S

H

15 18

S

A

S

9

D

S

M 57

I

67

10

S

11

A

R

L

S

S

O

U

L

A

N

S

S

C

H

E

O

P

E

N

I

R

S

L

L

Y

E

E

L

O

41

R U

59

B

D E C

52

64

70

M S

36

53 60

C

28

54

M

O

R

N

3

4

5

6

7

55

O

17

18

20

21

T A

C

I

A

L

O

M

I

C

Y

E

R

S

27

22 25

29

30

31

37

40

41

44

45

48

13

33

34

35

62

63

26 32

38

39

46 50

58 65

47

51

53

57

12

43

49

56

11

23

42

52

64

7. Mononymous Grammy-winner 8. "Aww, man. Do I really have to?" (2 wds.)

(4,1) 9. Sorrowful sound 10. Keyboard type allegedly designed to slow you down 11. "For ___ us a child is born ..." (from the Biblical Christmas story) 12. Camera setting 13. Defaced prankishly, as trees (2-2) (partial initialism) 18. Dessert items often cited together with motherhood as "sacred" symbols of Americana (2 wds.) (5,4) (PALE PIPES anagram) 22. Corned beef ____ (2 wds.) (2,3) 24. "Oh yeah? ___ who," slangily 26. Common pinched nerve symptom (2 wds.)

(5,4) (PARISH NAP anagram) 27. Cut short, as a rocket launch 28. Like some parking spots (2 wds.) (2,3) 29. Prince Charming wannabes 30. Actor Michael of "Narcos: Mexico" and "American Hustle" 31. Wonderland cake invitation that Alice accepted (2 wds.) (3,2) 33. Sasha Obama's big sister 34. Endorse via your desktop or other device(s) (SINGE anagram) 35. Homemaking item whose quality is often determined by thread count 38. Author/illustrator Silverstein 42. Like the smell of burning plastic 47. Checkup sounds 49. Cops' stunners 51. Twist together 53. Arrange instruments and sound equipment prior to performing (2 wds.) (3,2) 55. Roe, essentially 56. Low-lying area 57. Company that might ring a bell?

59. Prefix meaning "one-billionth" 60. Some Dada works housed at MoMA or the Guggenheim 61. Bantu language 62. Distinctive flair 63. Org. with many "Mission"s (abbr./initialism) 65. Alkaline liquid 67. Sylvester, to Tweety

28

10

19

36

55

9 16

24 29

8

15

14

LAST EDITION’S SOLUTION ____PUZZLE Issue

Across

2

54 59

60

61

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

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, Washington. Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE WEEK

GRACIAS GARCIAS Artist/Vendor

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

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

(202) 399-7093

YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica

(202) 547-7777

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

Education Educación

Health Care Seguro

Clothing Ropa

Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal

Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Food Comida

Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo

Transportation Transportación

Showers Duchas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.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

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

Laundry Lavandería

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

//

15

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-888-793-4357

JOB BOARD Crew member

Tropical Smoothie Cafe // 2234 Town Center Dr. SE Full-time

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

Provide customer service and perform cashier duties. Make smoothies and food and keep stations stocked.

REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: tinyurl.com/tropicalse

Membership clerk 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

Costco // 2441 Market St. NE Full-time

Help customers sign up for memberships, access their accounts and assist with any issues.

REQUIRED: N/A

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699

APPLY: tinyurl.com/costcodcc

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

Full-time, Part-time

Crew

Trader Joe's // 1914 14th St. NW

Operate cash register, bag groceries, stock shelves and help customers find products.

REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: tinyurl.com/workattj

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

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

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

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

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

ABEL PUTU Artist/Vendor

AKINDELE AKEREJAH Artist/Vendor

New year, new app! Please update or redownload your Street Sense App to use the latest version. If it wasn't working before, it should be now. Scan to download:

New year, new price? Scan the code to share your thoughts on whether Street Sense should raise the price of the paper: From your vendor, J A N . 3 - J A N . 1 6 , 2 0 2 4 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 4

NO CASH? NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE AN APP! SEARCH “STREET SENSE” IN THE APP STORE

WWW.INSP.NGO

3.2 million READERS

5,700 VENDORS

90+

STREET PAPERS

35

COUNTRIES

25

LANGUAGES