04.20.2016

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Volume 13: Issue 12 April 20 - May 3, 2016

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Busking Culture in Washington, pg 6

As Bowser Administration Trashes Tent Cities,

Successful Urban Planner Innovates Designer Tents to Shelter People Worldwide pgs 4-5

ID Cards: Who can help you get one? pg 7

Street Sense is the street media center of our nation’s capital. We aim to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are facing homelessness in our community.

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William Mack interviews Raheem DeVaughn during a visit to NY Ave Shelter. www.StreetSense.org Hear from the youngest activists for people experiencing homelessness ever in the latest episode of our podcast: www.StreetSense.org/Audio

CORRRECTION In the April 6 edition of Street Sense, an article discussing ABLE legislation incorrectly stated that the ABLE Age Adjustment Act had successfully changed the ABLE Act’s eligibility age from 26 to 46. In reality, the Act was only just introduced to Congress and still faces a long road forward. The age limit for the onset of a disability is still 26. Street Sense regrets the error.

COVER ART

An April encampment closure in Foggy Bottom.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BRICE-SADDLER

In Old Delhi, more than 20 winterHYDE tents have been donated.

PHOTO BY PRASOON KUMAR

/streetsensedc @streetsensedc /streetsensedc

OUR STORY Street Sense began in August 2003 after Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions with the idea to start a street paper in Washington, D.C. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003. In 2005, Street Sense achieved 501 ( c ) 3 status as a nonprofit organization, formed a board of directors and hired a full-time executive director.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Margaret Chapman, Max Gaujean, Margaret Jenny, Robyn Kerr, Jennifer Park, Reed Sandridge, Jeremy Scott, John Senn, Kate Sheppard, Annika Toenniessen, Martin Totaro, Anne Willis EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brian Carome EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Falquero SALES & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Jeffrey Gray VENDOR & SALES MANAGER Josh Maxey COORDINATOR OF EVENTS & AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Shira Hereld INTERNS Desmond Austin-Miller, Michael Brice-Saddler, Zachary Caplette, Joseph Doyle, Abby Hershberger WRITERS GROUP LEADERS Donna Daniels, Susan Orlins, Willie Schatz EDITORIAL BOARD Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Britt Peterson EDITORIAL & PAPER SALES VOLUNTEERS Jane Cave, Cheryl Chevalier, Nathalia Cibotti, Pat Geiger, Roberta Haber, Mary Henkin, Karen Houston, Erum Jilani, Leonie Peterkin, Hannah Northey, Jesselyn Radack, Andrew Siddons, Jackie Thompson, Marian Wiseman, Eugene Versluysen, Alex Zielinski VENDORS Shuhratjon Ahamadjonov, Gerald Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Aida Basnight, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Melanie Black, Phillip Black Jr., Maryann Blackmon, Viktor Blokhine, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Donald Brown, Joan Bryant, Elizabeth Bryant, Brianna Butler, Melody Byrd, Conrad Cheek, Aaron Colbert, Anthony Crawford, Walter Crawley, Kwayera Dakari, James Davis, Clifton Davis, Charles Davis, David Denny, James DeVaughn, Ricardo Dickerson, Dennis Diggs, Alvin Dixon-El, Ronald Dudley, Charles Eatmon, Deana Elder, Julie Ellis, Jemel Fleming, Chon Gotti, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Tyrone Hall, Richard Hart Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Jerry Hickerson, Ray Hicks, Rachel Higdon, Ibn Hipps, Phillip Howard, Leonard Hyater, Joseph Jackson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Harold Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, Morgan Jones, Linda Jones, Darlesha Joyner, Juliene Kengnie, Kathlene Kilpatrick, Hope Lassiter, John Littlejohn, James Lott, Scott Lovell, Michael Lyons, Jimmy M. Ken Martin, Joseph Martin, Kina Mathis, Michael Lee Matthew, Authertimer Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Jermale McKnight, Jeffery McNeil, Ricardo Meriedy, Cynthia Mewborn, Kenneth Middleton, Cecil More, L. Morrow, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Earl Parkin, Lucifer Potter, Ash-Shaheed Rabil, Henrieese Roberts, Anthony Robinson, Doris Robinson, Raquel Rodriquez, Lawrence Rogers, Joseph Sam, Chris Shaw, Patty Smith, Smith Smith, Gwynette Smith, Ronald Smoot, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens James Stewart, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Archie Thomas, Shernell Thomas, Craig Thompson, Eric Thompson-Bey, Sarah TurleyColin, Carl Turner, Jacqueline Turner, Leon Valentine, Grayla Vereen, Ron Verquer, Martin Walker, Michael Warner, Robert Warren, Angelyn Whitehurst, William Whitsett, Wendell Williams, Sasha Williams, Judson Williams III, Ivory Wilson, Denise Wilson, Charles Woods

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STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

D.C. Police Reinvigorate Search for Relisha Rudd

Georgetown Study Finds Subsidized Jobs Sustainable

D.C. police launched a new search for the remains of 8 year old Relisha Rudd on April 13, the Washington Post reported. Relisha was last seen on March 1, 2014, with Khalil Tatum, a janitor who worked at D.C. General where Relisha and her family lived. The bodies of Tatum and his wife were found later in the month, which has given the situation an especially grim outlook.

The April 13 search took place near the National Arboretum, several blocks from the Holiday Inn Express where Relisha and Tatum were seen together. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier told reporters that the search would include the efforts of sixty people, included members of the D.C. police, the FBI, and the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children. Lanier also stated that divers would be searching a murky pond and police dogs would be searching the surrounding area.

Lanier declined to give specifics about what led to the Police Department’s interest in the area surrounding the Arboretum. “We continue to follow up on any information we receive that may lead us to a different search area or different people we need to talk to,” she stated.

“We get new information in the case that has led us to search areas, and this is one of those areas.”

The last full-scale search for Relisha occurred in December at a construction site near the hotel where Rudd and Tatum were seen together. That search did not yield new evidence or information.

“We need to find her,” said Brenda Brown, a friend of Relisha’s family.

“We just can’t let this go unresolved.

It was just so foul, and no one has been held accountable.”

—Abby Hershberger

The Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality released a report called “Lessons Learned From 40 Years of Subsidized Employment Programs.”

The report’s authors analyzed more than 40 subsidized employment programs from the past 40 years and came to several conclusions. First, workers in the study’s most successful programs earned higher wages after participating. Second, workers and their children had reduced involvement with the Criminal Justice System. Third, the children of those who had participated had higher rates of school completion. Finally, the most successful programs ended up more than paying for themselves.

Peter B. Edelman and Indivar DuttaGupta discussed the report in a call with press. Edelman, the Faculty Director at the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, is Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law and Public Policy at Georgetown.

Dutta-Gupta is a Senior Fellow at the Center on Poverty and Inequality and is the Director of the Project on Deep Poverty.

“We’re looking for solutions to persistent long term poverty,” said Dutta-Gupta. “We know about these problems and what kind of models work best.”

Subsidized employment programs use public funding to employ and fully or partially pay the salaries of those who cannot find stable employment in the regular labor market. This specific study focused on nine groups who could potentially benefit from subsidized employment, including people experiencing homelessness.

The report sought to identify the kinds of programs that are most beneficial for those who face multiple or severe barriers to employment. “Regular job training pro-

grams—we weren’t looking at those,” said Dutta-Gupta. “They’re good programs, but we went deeper than that in terms of clientele.”

The written report ends with a call to continue improving employment programs as the job market changes and new challenges to employment arise. The authors acknowledge that many barriers to employment intersect, making it extremely difficult for some populations to find and keep productive employment.

“Despite the proven success of such programs [in this study] under an array of economic circumstances and for many diverse populations, continued exploration through pilot programs, demonstrations, and studies is necessary in order to most effectively target subpopulations and communities,” the report said. “In addition, even the most well-substantiated programs may need to adapt as employer needs and worker challenges change over time, and thus should prioritize innovative solutions.”

Edelman added: “We feel very certain - and we are not alone - that there is an imperative to find a solution to unemployment.”

—Abby Hershberger

Community Meeting Addresses Discrimination Against Homeless People District residents spoke up about public discrimination and police misconduct at an April 6 Know Your Rights meeting hosted by the Office of Human Rights and the Office of Police Complaints.

Theresa Rainey, Outreach Coordinator at the Office of Human Rights (OHR), opened the meeting by introducing Washington D.C.’s 19 protected traits. Of this group, Rainey noted that discrimination

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NEWS IN BRIEF

based on race, sex, and disability are the top reported in complaints. The OHR provides a five step complaint process, but is also flexible when it comes to starting a conversation between the accused offender and the victim. “Discrimination can be very personal,” said Rainey. “Sometimes all someone needs is an apology and to acknowledge that harm was done.”

Specific issues that were brought up by the moderators and the audience were a business’s refusal to serve someone because of their housing status, and the steps that should be taken when a company does not comply and continues to discriminate. Rainey emphasized that policy and laws are what give the OHR their power.

“If there’s not a law addressing something, we don’t have the authority to act...having said that, we do have a lot of power,” she said.

The Office of Police Complaints (OPC) segment of the meeting was led by OPC Public Affairs Specialist, Nykisha Cleveland, and Human Rights Officer, Carson Gardner.

Cleveland and Gardner advised the audience how to approach confrontation with the D.C. police, as well as how to follow up with the OPC. The OPC fields situations involving harassment, unnecessary or excessive force, inappropriate language or conduct, discrimination, retaliation, and failure to identify. The OPC has no affiliation with the police department.

Gardner assured meeting attendants that the OPC is willing to listen to all complaints regardless of how much solid information a citizen has.

“We’re not a court. You don’t have to come knowing everything,” Gardner said.

“We don’t need hard evidence. All we need is a story.”

—Abby Hershberger

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Interagency Council on Homelessness Reports Back on Homewad D.C. Progress

By Reginald Black “Da Street Reportin’ Artist” On April 12 the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) held its first meeting of the year, also the first since switching to a quarterly schedule. This body of government, nonprofit and private individuals meets throughout the year to navigate ending homelessness in the city. They are tasked with implementing the 5-year Homeward D.C. plan to end homelessness in the District.

The meeting was held in the John A. Wilson building and many from inside and outside of government spoke.

During a public comment session at the start of the meeting, Anthony Davis called for more attention to homeless veterans. Davis, a member of The People for Fairness Coalition and the founder of Vets Helping Vets, questioned why any veteran could be allowed to experience homelessness. Soldiers who die in combat give their lives for those that return home, said Davis, criticizing what conditions many veterans return to. “It would break your heart,” he said.

It was reported later in the meeting that several unforeseen challenges have slowed progress housing veterans. The city had hoped to effectively end veteran homelessness by the close of 2015.

However, more veterans than originally projected have been seeking shelter and fewer veterans than originally projected have been able to resolve homelessness on their own. Additional Department of Human Services (DHS) outreach staff have been assigned to this effort.

Long-time community advocate Eric Sheptock also commented during the opening session. “I think you are moving in the right direction. I hope this body has learned that there needs to be a focus on homeless employment.”

Sheptock is anxious to see how the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is implemented later this year and how it will help able-bodied people experiencing homelessness get to work.

DHS reported progress in sheltering and stabilizing families facing homelessness, as well as in developing a day center and expanding outreach efforts.

The most interesting portion of the meeting--which ran out of time to cover its full agenda--was the affordable housing update lead by Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Director Polly Donaldson “We can’t talk about homelessness without affordable housing,” Donaldson said. She reported that 12 affordable housing and permanent supportive housing projects were in the works, after a 2015 RFP selection process.

“Right now the threshold for a household to qualify for assistance is $35,000 a year in income, which is calculated to

be 30 percent and below of the area’s median income [AMI]. Eighty percent of the [housing production trust fund] dollars need to go to [families that make] $65,000 or less,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson also mentioned that there were no targeted affordable housing vouchers available this year. “Any project selected in January this year will not be online until 2018,” she said. Donaldson reported that 83 units of permanent supportive housing will be coming online during this fiscal season, which equates to about 10 percent of the total amount. She stressed that placement for units will be pulled from the coordinated entry system.

“We have limited resources,” Donaldson said. DHCD has partnered with the D.C. Housing Authority, Department of Human Services and the D.C. Housing Finance Agency.

Consumer Donald Brooks reported struggles with landlords not accepting housing vouchers. Housing Authority Executive Director Adrianne reaffirmed that voucher recipients should be able to approach any landlord and get an apartment if the price is right.

“It took me four months to find an apartment with a voucher,” said consumer Michael Coleman. “This [Area Median Income] thing is really hurting people. It’s keeping people in one section of the city.” he said.

Coleman suggested developers be held accountable for reigning in costs. Alternatively, Todman said the value of vouchers had been increased in an attempt to account for rising costs and the possible concentration of poverty.

ICH Executive Director Kristy Greenwalt, who also currently leads the Family Services Administration, asked everyone to maintain realistic expectations for the 5-year plan’s implementation. “We are really into the first six months of implementation.”

City Administrator Rashad Young added that this year’s proposed budget for human services was the slowest year-to-year increase seen in some time, compared with last year’s unprecedented amount of funding committed to housing and homeless services.

Laura Zeilinger, director of DHS, pointed out that while small, there was still an increase compared to the previous year.

“ThWe know the need is great.” We need to be realistic about what we can do,” she said. “We have to work together.”

The event could be summed up by Michael Coleman, who said that the abundance of targeted service programs and the entry requirements that accompany them leave many consumers feeling like there is no program they are eligible for. “You gotta realize that we have problems, we [the ICH] come at them with all these stipulations, then [consumers] won’t want to engage.”

This is the second year of the Bowser’s administrations crack at housing instability. Those in need hope the city will put its money where its mouth is.

No Personal Belongings Stored in Most Recent Homeless Camp Eviction

By Michael Brice-Saddler Editorial Intern The District orchestrated another homeless encampment shut down on Thursday morning, April 14. A handful of men had taken shelter beneath an onramp in Foggy Bottom — adjacent to the now fenced-off site of the infamous “Camp Watergate,” which was evicted in November.

The number of people residing in the camp has fluctuated throughout the last few weeks, but only a handful of them were present during Thursday’s eviction.

Residents who were around at the time of the cleanup were able to claim some of their belongings, such as Balla Kamara, who fit everything that he possibly could into a shopping cart.

“I’ll find another place,” said Kamara, who has been on a waiting list for housing for over five years. “It’s frustrating, just really frustrating, living from one place to another, sleeping outside.”

Others were less fortunate, as any unclaimed belongings were hurled into trash trucks, and no stray items were labeled or stored. Lifesaving items such as tents, blankets and clothing were thrown away. So were a bed frame, pillows and other objects.

“People’s whole lives are just being thrown away,” said Robert Moon, another camp resident. “It really shows how the government really doesn’t care.”

Moon said that the signs posted in the area forewarning the cleanup were misleading — causing some encampment residents to think that the closure was supposed to take place several days later — not giving them a chance to secure their property.

“That’s why they’re not here,” Moon said referring to other residents that had left their belongings at the site. “A lot of them are out here working and hustling so that they can eat.”

The ordeal took over an hour and a half to complete and was coordinated by the office of Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Brenda Donald. Representatives from the Department of Human Services, Department of Public Works and the Metropolitan Police Department assisted in the cleanup efforts. District outreach workers attempted to connect the few residents on site to services and escort them to a shelter.

Tonoi Delrahim, who has lived under the Foggy Bottom onramp for one year, had heard rumors that the camp was going to be shut down. Though he does not know where he will go, Delrahim refuses shelter due to their poor conditions.

“It’s tough, tough, very tough,” Delrahim said. “I’m homeless — I’ll probably just move someplace else.”

LEFT: Balla Kamara was one of two residents present and able to gather belongings before the shut down. ABOVE: Each eviction is an interagency coordinated effort. BELOW: The main camp. Several other tent clusters were present in the surrounding area.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BRICE-SADDLER

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

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COVER PACKAGE

Commercial Architect Redefines Emergency Shelter at Georgetown Innovation Hub

By Desmond Austin-Miller Editorial Intern The experimental Winter Hyde shelter is being developed as an emergency response to homelessness in cold climates. The shelter is a tent-like structure with four walls, a window and a pitched roof. The inside walls are lined with a silvery insulation material that traps body heat. The structure’s creator, Prasoon Kumar, had 12 years of commercial design experience before he started designing solutions for the poor.

“I realized that the kind of work I was doing served a very niched population,” Kumar told Street Sense in an interview at the Halcyon House in Georgetown. He is participating in the year-long fellowship program for young social entrepreneurs, Halcyon Incubator.

Prasoon Kumar.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALCYON INCUBATOR

Originally from India, Kumar graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi and then from Arizona State University.

In 2014 he founded Billion Bricks, an international nonprofit that aims to end homelessness through innovative architecture and design.

In the aftermath of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in India, 9,000 families were left homeless and more than 50 homeless children died from exposure to freezing temperatures while staying in government-run relief camps. In January of 2015, 3,500 people were still in encampments.

Kumar put his urban planning expertise to work creating a solution for homeless families that would protect them from the elements and provide privacy. “It is my belief that design for the poor often happens poorly,” he said.

Common sheltering solutions given to people who are displaced—such as sleeping bags, blankets and tarps—are highly focused solutions that do not properly insulate, provide privacy or contain enough space to house families. Shelter that is provided may not be adequate, according to Kumar.

Common sheltering solutions given to displaced people—such as sleeping bags, blankets and tarps—are highly focused solutions that do not properly insulate, provide privacy or contain enough space to house families. Shelter that is provided may not be adequate, according to Kumar. “I started researching and I realized that there isn’t something on the market addressing the problem holistically,” Kumar said.

The result was the Winter Hyde.

“I started looking for what was the cheapest source of heat that you could find,” Kumar said. “My initial gut reac-

tion was the Sun. But then I realized that there was an even cheaper source of heat than that: body heat.” With its triple-layered flysheet and reflective inner layer, the shelter amplifies body heat while preventing it from escaping.

Kumar has deployed his invention in several climates with success. The Winter Hyde has been given to 10 families in New Delhi and has been used for the last 3 months.

“Design for the poor often happens poorly.”

Billion Bricks maintains communication with the families to receive feedback. So far, the families love the option to remain together in the shelter, instead of being separated in different shelters or rooms. They also appreciate being able to keep their possessions in one place, though they wish there were a secure way to lock their tent and that it came with pockets. Kumar and his team are working to add these features.

In Washington D.C., many people have chosen a life outdoors , claiming there is theft, violence, bed bugs and a lack of privacy in city shelters. In the District, temporary abode laws prevent the Winter Hyde from being deployed or even tested among the homeless population, though it might save the District’s taxpayers money.

Between October 2015 and January 2016, the city spent $172,000 to clean up encampments, a large portion of which went toward fencing-off a single camp location.

In an interview with Street Sense, Jay

Melder, Chief of Staff at Department of Human Services (DHS) stated that he “would imagine that [the cost of encampment closures] stays roughly the same.”

On the West Coast, where temporary abode laws are not as strict as they are here, Winter Hyde has potential. While D.C. encampments have been closing because they are unsafe, Seattle has established several, successful city sponsored encampments.

However, a man building tiny houses for the homeless in Los Angeles recently received government pushback because the abodes are considered a safety hazard.

A structure as innovative as Winter Hyde could bring Kumar a considerable sum if he pitched it to NGOs, governments and other types of organizations.

But Kumar says he envisions a different fate for this and other design solutions for the poor and disenfranchised. The Winter Hyde shelter has been built with systemic change in mind.

“One of the basic premises that we have around our work is that design is only one part of it,” he said. “What we are really doing is trying to bring in a systemic change and empowering people through our design to replicate the models that we have.” “...We can establish small industries employing homeless people to build [Winter Hyde] on their own. All people need is very basic training in stitching and access to a sewing machine to build it on their own,” he said.

The goal of Winter Hyde is for communities to become independent of manufacturing companies, and to create a process for the mass production of these shelters within the communities where they are needed.

Buskers Add Color to Dreary City Streets Bill Hassay Uses Music to Make a Living

By Zhou Zola, Volunteer

Below: Bill Hassay plays the violin at the corner of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue PHOTO BY ZHOU ZOLA

The man is there again. In Georgetown, at the corner of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue near the golden dome of PNC Bank, the man stands tranquilly, playing a violin. He is wearing an orange washedout T-shirt with “Help the Homeless” on it, crumpled black jeans, and sneakers with dirt on them. His eyes are staring at the void, and he ignores all the passersby. The man looks at the ground and his body moves a little along with the melody.

A few people toss some quarters inside the bucket besides the man’s feet.

A few others stop and listen, their eyes expressing curiosity and surprise—the man plays as if he is a master violinist. Most people just glance at him and cross the street. This man is Bill Hassay. He grew up in Rockville, Maryland, and he has been playing the violin since he was nine.

“The orchestra I played went bankrupt.”

After the PNC Bank closes Hassay comes under the dome, usually playing every day until around 9 p.m., when the darkness of the night covers the city despite the little illumination from the streetlights and passing vehicles. Hassay plays his violin as loud as the crowd.

Sometimes he plays a trumpet as shiny as the golden dome. In spring, he goes to the Ocean Park doing the same thing, as the weather gets nicer.

“It’s how I make a living,” said Hassay, 64, who had played the violin in a symphony orchestra as a full-time professional for 20 years. He was the concertmaster in the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Now he is a substitute music

teacher in Anne Arundel High School and teaches other subjects if needed.

“I didn’t quit,” said Hassay with something in his eyes. “The orchestra I played went bankrupt.”

After the orchestra closed, he moved back to Maryland and found part-time jobs in areas like the telecom business and substitute teaching.

He sometimes runs into surprise visitors. Once, Billy Joel went to Georgetown and hung around for a few hours and Hassay was told that Joel really liked his music. A famous jazz violinist, Stephen Grapelli, walked by one time, listened for a few minutes and gave Hassay some money. “You meet all kind of people on the street,” said Hassay.

Hassay says that the best part of being a street musician is watching people’s reaction, rather than making money.

When he played the violin in the symphony orchestra there were concerts for children. It is the same on the street.

He loves to play music for the children, especially babies in strollers. They are so young that they cannot talk, but they get the music. Their feet are dancing and they are clapping, and their eyes are filled with joy. As their parents push the stroller down the street, the babies and toddlers try to turn around, and climb up a little to see Hassay and smile at him.

“I wish I could afford to have future plans,” said Hassay. “I can’t afford to spend a couple of years to practice my skills to get back to an orchestra, maybe when I retire.” A young mother and her son pass by, drop a ten-dollar bill and walk along. The little boy looks back with curiosity when Hassay winks at the boy with a smile.

Samuel Ali is Fluent in the Universal Language

By Sofia Calvi, Volunteer

On a cold Friday evening, Samuel Ali leans on a dark lamppost near the Foggy Bottom Metro station holding a little instrument. A box in front of him reads, “Thank you.”

He plays what many people would call a ukulele. “It is a charango,” he says in a Spanish dialect that denotes his Andean background. The instrument is typical of the Bolivian plateaus, his motherland.

The Metro entrance is at the hub of a section of street culture where a small market enlivens the neighborhood. One man tries to sell red flowers to every woman who passes by. Another vendor operates a small stand overflowing with souvenirs As Ali plays his brown and beige instrument connected to speakers, thousands of workers from think tanks, banks and various international institutions walk towards the Metro station where they will find the mostly silent company of other riders. The crowd looks professional and serious, their faces turned downward. But the charango music brightens the street.

“I play in the street because I love it,” says Ali. He’s not sure the same can be said for the workers he sees going home with a noticeable aloofness this evening.

As a professional musician, Ali plays Andean style and has been able to publish more than 20 CDs, both solo and with a band of six other Bolivian composers.

He also performs for private events such as weddings and baptisms. In the street, where he always plays by himself, Ali hopes to cheer people up. He started playing at 7-years old and has gained popularity with many audiences since.

As the people walking past listen in admiration to his music, he reminisces about his native land, which he misses dearly. He has spent the last 20 years traveling around the world, playing music on the streets of

Jamaica, Cuba, France and England.

Before returning to Bolivia, he dreams of playing in Australia and Japan. “The musician travels to make his music known to the world,” says Ali, right after thanking a little boy who graciously leaves a dollar in his box. Ali says he loves music because it is “the universal language; you don’t need to translate it.” His love for music has taken him far away, but he hopes to return to Bolivia and retire there. After graduating with a major in business administration in a Bolivian university many years ago and working in the business sector for almost a decade, he decided to start performing in the streets, turning his passion into a profession, because he preferred to be his own boss. He says, “The musician is a free soul.”

Ali works on the street but doesn’t live there; he has a house in the outskirts of the city. He said he loves the recognition he gets from doing this street job, which is “like any other job.”

Homeless people, he says, are the most generous and grateful, as they continuously thank him for accompanying them with his melody in the harsh days of Washington DC’s winter.

“Homeless leave everything they have, $10 or $15, because they like my music.”

Curious walkers look at Ali in an attempt to decipher his words, but the slow melody of his charango doesn’t allow them to hear the conversation.

He lists the many instruments he is able to play: guitar, piano, saxophone and zampona - an instrument formed by hollow wood sticks of increasing lengths held together by a string - but the touching the charango to release beautiful music is what he loves the most, especially when done on the stage of the street. As busy commuters rush home from work after a busy day, they find solace in the sounds of Ali’s music.

“The musician travels to make his music known to the world. The musician is a free soul.”

OPINON: An International Perspective

By Ken Belkosky, Vendor/Artist

There is a city in Indonesia called Jakarta where many of the homeless people do what is called busking, or street performing. They do it to survive. But it seems Indonesia’s

government does not care about these people. BBC News reported that In 2007, Jakarta enacted a law banning donations to “buskers, beggars and hawkers.”

Buskers who are seen by the police are thrown in jail without trial. I hope when people read this, they will boycott this country and city until things change.

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

Tiny Card, Big Consequences:

Acquiring Identification a Struggle for Those With Unstable Housing

By Abby Hershberger Editorial Intern Gary Vinson has been locked out of his bank account for over a month. Vinson, who has experienced homelessness “off and on” from 2008 to 2011 and consistently since then, depends on his monthly Social Security checks to cover his expenses. Shortly after receiving his March benefits, Vinson lost his driver’s license.

Without an ID, he is unable to withdraw from his bank account, leaving him struggling to pay for his basic needs. He gets his meals at two local shelters—which he is very grateful for—but still needs money from his account to pay for his laundry and phone bill. The Father McKenna Center, an outreach facility for men and families, has been working closely with Vinson to help him acquire an ID and access his much needed benefits.

When you don’t have an ID and you’re homeless, there’s a lot of things you can’t do,” Vinson said. “Without that ID you’re really, really stuck.”

A major reason why acquiring a valid ID can be such an issue for people experiencing homelessness is because guidelines for District identification documents require those who want to acquire or renew an ID to present proof of identity, proof of

quire a new ID, although Bread is not one of the DMV’s Certified Providers.

“It’s important to understand that it’s really difficult to obtain an ID,” said Kathleen Stephan, resource manager at Bread.

A long list of required “proofs”— proof of identity, proof of social security and proof of residency—can create a complicated and prohibitive maze for someone unfamiliar with the system to navigate. “Someone experiencing homelessness or someone with low-income might not have the things you need. It involves many, many steps.”

David Grosso, D.C. Councilmember at-large and chair of the Committee on Education, has been monitoring the ID situation closely. “I have been working with community members and government agencies over the past year to address problems related to identification documents,” he said in an e-mail. “Having proper identification is a critical issue in this day and age, and for our most marginalized residents it is too often a problem to get these documents.”

Gary Vinson can attest to this. Although he is now on his way to acquiring an ID, he has overcome many barriers, including the isolation that he feels from society.

Without that ID you’re really, really stuck.

social security, and proof of residency. Not surprisingly, collecting all of this documentation can be very difficult for someone without stable housing.

In order to offset some of these difficulties, several D.C. organizations such as the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are trying to implement change to the way contact and mailing addresses are listed on proof of residency forms. Specifically, the DMV allows “Certified Providers” to be listed as valid residential addresses on a DMV ID application form. Instead of providing the DMV with a document like a utility bill, a client can fill out a “Proof of Residency” form with a service provider. This proves an individual’s D.C. residency and allows them to obtain an ID even though they may not have consistent housing. There are currently 34 providers on this list.

Like the Father McKenna Center, Bread for the City assists those who want to ac-

- Gary Vinson

“When you’re homeless, you’re desolate, you’re by yourself,” Vinson said. “[The government] can do a lot of damage.

There’s no one around to say, ‘you didn’t do this, you didn’t do that.”

After Councilmember Grosso got a better understanding of the challenges that many District residents face in the process of acquiring an ID, he wrote to the the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Department of Human Services (DHS), asking them to address the gaps he saw in the system. The letter was published in October 2015. It pointed out several lingering flaws in ID policy at that time, including how difficult it was to access a list of Certified Providers as well as the list’s limitations in how many people it could provide for.

Laura Zeilinger, Director of the Department of Human Services, replied to Grosso’s requests in December and assured him that all of his requests had either been re-

solved, or were well on the way.

Grosso saw two sides of the reply from Zeilinger. “The responses from the agencies were promising, but showed that more work remained to be done, including the news that DMV and DHS were working to revamp the Social Services Residency form,” the councilmember said. As a result of his requests, the list of organizations offering the form was publicized, as well as the process that a provider could take to join that list.

At the April Interagency Council on Homelessness meeting, DHS and the DMV presented the updated Certified Providers form and process. The new form includes an option for service providers to verify an individual’s homeless status while still allowing them to receive mail at the address of a friend or family member. Dora Taylor, Public Information Officer at DHS, confirmed that DHS and the DMV will continue working together to combat some of the multi-dimensional problems that people experiencing homelessness often face.

The change revealed at the ICH meeting is a direct affirmation to one of Grosso’s written requests. The council member sees this as a step in the right direction.

“There are a few concerns that remain logistically regarding the implementation of the new policy,” he said.

“However, it is a testament to the importance of having our agencies work together and not be stuck in silos.”

Opening up clearer pathways to acquiring identification documents would help people like Gary Vinson, who can be locked out of accounts and left without benefits when an ID card is lost or stolen.

Councilmember Grosso stated his dedication to policy reform. “I will continue to monitor the implementation of the new policy and keep advocating for further reforms—such as having DMV expand the list of acceptable proofs of residence or identity for receiving a REAL ID compliant identity card or license,” Grosso said.

Kathleen Stephan encourages those who are currently struggling with the system to offer feedback to the Department of Human Services. “If it’s not working for you, explain why,” she said.

The DHS Homeless Services Program Office can be reached by calling 1 (800) 535-7252.

7

NEWS

List of Certified ID Providers Pathways to Housing 101 Q Street NE, Suite G My Sister’s Place, Inc. 1007 Rhode Island Avenue NE Helping Individual People Survive 1309 Rhode Island Avenue NE, Suite B District Alliance for Safe Housing 1835 3rd Street NE Catholic Charities (Anchor Health) 1001 Lawrence Street NE New Hope Ministries, Inc 425 2nd Street NW So Others Might Eat 60 O Street NW Miriam’s Kitchen 2512 Virginia Avenue NW Terrific, Inc. 1226 Vermont Avenue NW Thrive DC 1525 Newton Street NW Safe Haven Outreach Ministries, Inc. 1140 North Capitol Street NW, #924 Christ House 1717 Columbia Road NW The Salvation Army 1434 Harvard Street NW, Suite B Coalition for the Homeless 1245 Mass. Avenue NW, Suite C-1015 Casa Ruby, Inc. 2822 Georgia Avenue NW The Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue NW Catholic Charities 924 G Street NW N Street Village 1333 N Street NW McClendon Center 1338 North Capitol Street NW Green Door 1221 Taylor Street NW Latin American Youth Center 3045 15th Street NW Central Union Mission 65 Massachusetts Avenue NW Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW Covenant House 2001 Mississippi Avenue SE Access Housing, Inc. 4301 9th Street SE Capital Hill Group Ministry 1338 G Street SE House of Prosperity Everlasting, Inc. 2918 Minnesota Avenue SE Sasha Bruce Youthwork Inc. 5032 D Street SE DYRS 2101 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington 1345 U Street SE 801 E. Transitional Rehabilitation Program 2700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE Office of Returning Citizen Affairs 2100 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE Jobs Have Priority, Naylor Road Program 2601-2603 Naylor Road SE

BELOW: Soot seen on several brand new sponges, opened in front of a courtappointed inspector, after single wipes across my counter and stove tops.

PHOTO BY CYNTHIA MEWBORN

The Court’s Facade: Room #317

By Cynthia Mewborn Vendor/Artist How many homeless and impoverished individuals will be forced to live in appalling and demoralizing conditions, risking death, before the judiciary system will protect them? When I received housing assistance from The D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) more than a year ago, I could have never imagined that I would eventually bring these same individuals to court for crimes against the homeless and poor.

The apartment I received seems nice on the surface. However, for over twenty months I’ve had to live with black soot seeping from the ventilation system and discolored and smelly water which has even corroded the entire sink. The prior and current property managers have refused to fix these disgraceful conditions.

How could DHS recommend such a thing?

I sought help from city officials, including the Office of the Attorney General.

After no one came through for me, I filed a lawsuit myself. I don’t want to get rich, I just want my apartment fixed.

An inspector was appointed by the court. But when they visited my building, I was told “no matter what you show me, this building is passing inspection.”

I recently had a private contractor give me a quote on how much it would cost in clean the ventilation system. But the following week the company said they would not return to my building until a chemical analysis of the black soot in my unit is completed. They feared contaminating their equipment or possibly spreading something beyond my unit.

I tried explaining this during my hearing, but when I said that I would have to pay for the chemical analysis the Judge replied “good, you should pay for it” and dismissed the case.

How is that justice? How often are the impoverished denied equal and fair judi-

cial representation in resolving deplorable housing conditions? These officials aren’t doing their jobs.

The entire matter has been ignored, denied, rejected and perpetuated by the same people who are supposed to bring justice for those who do not receive it from management. It’s pretty hard to fathom that court officials and other District government workers could be permitting housing conditions that could lead to sickness or even worse - death. But I fear for my life. I don’t believe the visionary who designed these programs nor the taxpayers who fund them ever envisioned inhumane housing.

I need a lawyer who can assist me in my case and uphold the right for people who have experienced homelessness to heal and recover in decent affordable housing.

Soon seen on the hand of an Air Quality Control technician after a single swipe over the surface of the tub in my apartment. The technician had visited the unit to assess a quote to clean the ventilation system.

PHOTO BY CYNTHIA MEWBORN

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

9

FEATURES

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH:

Learning, Part I

By Henrieese Roberts Vendor/Artist In September, 1968, I was 18 years old. I became a freshman, one of approximately 100 black students, at Ole Miss (the University of Mississippi). As soon as I unpacked, I ventured to the Student Union where I was greeted by black upper classmen who informed me we were privileged because they had secured changes that we would benefit from. Therefore, our duty was to gain further benefits. We fought hard with civil disobedience the two years I was at Ole Miss, reaping many fruits, despite severe penalties for punishment.

The duties assigned to me included riding in a car with five guys who just talked. I sat on the back seat, always by a window, just listening to them talk. This happened to me many times and I never questioned whether they were conditioning me.

One of the guys took me on a ride with just himself and me. He drove me into the woods of Oxford, Mississippi, stopping the car, forcing me into the back seat and proceeded to rape me. Just as he began, a policeman walked up and stopped him. Even now, 48 years later, I question what I have learned from this experience.

The Monument Quilt—a project that partners with survivors and organizations across the United States and beyond—as presented in Baltimore.

PHOTO ESSAY BY HENRIEESE ROBERTS

OPINION MOVING UP: California’s minimum wage increase affects the District

By Arthur Johnson

Advocates for those seeking an increase in the minimum wage saw a huge victory last month as California, led by Governor Jerry Brown, passed an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022.

The increase was successful for several reasons, not the least is the fact that California is a very expensive state to live in, especially the Bay area, Silicon Valley, and Los Angeles. It also enjoys a huge advantage in having the largest state population in the nation, which diminishes the risk that companies will threaten to pack up and move out of state to avoid paying increased labor costs.

Other areas such as the District are still struggling to get an opportunity to get such an increase in their minimum wage.

One difference is that California’s state Government is controlled by the Democrats, while the District has its budget controlled by the Republican controlled United States Congress, which is against any increase in the minimum wage.

The wage increase will occur over six years starting with an increase to $10.50 in 2017. One thing that happened that could be implemented by other states and cities is that there is a provision that states that during the six years it takes to reach the $15 hour amount, the Governor can halt the increase temporarily if economic conditions warrant it or if the budget suffers a sizable deficit.

The reality is that this will give momentum to those seeking an increase but the opponents are going to fight even harder to stop increases from occurring.

Technology is going to be an important thing to focus on because many businesses, particularly those in the restaurant sector, are seeing computerized gadgets start taking over functions that used to be done by workers, and that may pick up as businesses start seeing the impact of the wage increase.

There will be many people affected by the increase. The effects will not be

known for at least two to three years but it would be fair to say that in California, there will be a substantial increase in people having to work multiple jobs (which can be beneficial to the worker if structured well). There will also unfortunately be a large number of people who will lose their jobs, either due to workforce reductions, or if businesses resort to using undocumented workers to avoid

paying increased labor costs. Many businesses will also increase costs or add fees in addition to their normal pricing to offset the impact on profits.

California has a huge luxury in that the largest cities will not have to worry about a mass exodus of businesses leaving for other states (unlike Washington, D.C., where businesses could just head over the Potomac to Virginia or Maryland). Certain industries will be affected more than others. Fast food restaurants and restaurants in general are going to move towards more efficient use of workers, and that means that you probably will start seeing even more competition for jobs since there will be fewer positions available.

You can also expect that employers will start screening prospective applicants more, which means education and experience will be even more important.

If you are currently struggling to make ends meet on a minimum wage, the time has come to start looking at how to increase your value to employers and that will be covered in an upcoming issue. Next issue will focus on transportation. This issue is extremely important, especially with the recent one day shutdown of the Metro, and the vast number of people in the District, who rely on public transportation daily.

Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer focusing on finance and economic issues in his column Moving Up.

Turning a Pig into Miss Piggy

By Jeffery McNeil

Donald Trump is a diamond in the rough. He’s something special. He may be a pig, but he’s my pig. And I’m going to ride this one to the inaugural ball. Occasionally, pigs become so filthy that they’re tough to clean up. But it’s time for Trump lovers to turn this pig into Miss Piggy.

Wisconsin was an occasion where the pig accidently wandered into the slaughterhouse.

When I saw Trump go on the Clinton News Network (CNN) and the pro-abortion channel (MSNBC) to do interviews with Anderson Cooper and Chris Matthews, all kinds of emotions befell me.

I thought my pig was ready to be made into sausage.

I was depressed and despondent. The Trump haters were in full force, riding me, mocking me calling me an Uncle Tom, a coon and an embarrassment to my race.

I don't care, I’m doubling my bet Trump will win in a landslide.

Although this may be our darkest hour, it's imperative for his supporters to clean

this pig up, give him a makeover and make him more presidential.

Although Trump resonates with hillbillies and white trash, there are many African Americans and Latinos who are going to vote for him. For the love of God Mr. Trump, you're winning! You don't need to do interviews with CNN or MSNBC. Stay on friendly terrain such as Sean H a n n i t y, B i l l O’Reilly or Morning Joe. You can come on my podcast for favorable press.

The positive is, he wasn't fried like bacon and he’s alive to fight another day.

Ted Cruz looks like a fish out of water in the Bronx. The Northeast corridor has Trump’s back, and if anybody says something negative, they will get a New York style beatdown. This is Trump country and the GOP will be put on notice. There will be no delegate chicanery with Trump and his supporters!

The media and the establishment hate Trump and his supporters for one reason: we are a threat to the status quo. They know if he gets elected, politics as usual is over. The Beltway cartel should treat the Trump phenomenon like a raw egg. It might be tough to swallow, but once you swallow it you’ll have plenty of nourishment.

I f Tr u m p i s a pig, then the Clintons are sowbellies. They can't attack Trump when they fed from his trough. Trump is standing on the side of the American worker, while the Clintons sold them out with NAFTA. Hillary wasn't a great Secretary of State, she was responsible for overthrowing Mubarak in Egypt and Qaddafi in Libya and destabilizing the region, giving rise to ISIS and creating a humanitarian crisis in Syria. She is so bad as a candidate, she’s struggling to defeat a socialist because the public

Just please shut up and you will win in a landslide.

knows there is no difference between being a liberal and a socialist.

Democrats cannot win elections unless they scare women and minorities. My advice to Donald J. Trump: stay away from hot button topics such as gay marriage and abortion, this is home turf for Democrats. They run this play like a Stephen Curry pick and roll. It allows them to feel morally superior, and anything you say will be unsatisfactory. They will twist it, take it out of context and brand you as a rightwing homophobe. Don't take the bait.

This is a call to arms for those who want our pig, Trump, sitting at the table and being our nominee. We need to intervene, clean him up and make him more palatable to the American public by election time.

America isn't great anymore, and only you, Donald J. Trump, can make America great again. Just please shut up and you will win in a landslide.

Jeffery McNeil is a frequent writer and columnist for Street Sense.

Have an opinion about how homelessness is being handled in our community? Street Sense maintains an open submission policy and prides itself as a newspaper that elevates community voices and fosters healthy debate. Send your thoughts to opinion@streetsense.org.

Medicare-for-all is Winning the Debate

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

1#1

OP-ED

By Joseph Sparks

Medicare-for-all advocates should rejoice. You are winning the debate. No one has refuted the benefits of this proposed single-payer health care system. The arguments that have been presented against Medicare-for-all have been wrong, misleading, and disingenuous. Even the haggling over cost is not much of a dispute.

This issue is not whether Medicare-for-all will save money—it will—it is just a question of how MUCH will be saved.

The benefits of Medicare-for-all include: one, it covers everybody. No more time needs to be spent figuring what insurance to buy or what your policy covers.

Two, it eliminates co-payments and deductibles, making health care affordable and accessible to all. No more worrying about whether you can afford medical care or whether the co-payments and deductibles will cause bankruptcy.

Three, it covers more benefits than most current insurance. For example, Medicare-for-all covers vision and dental, benefits that many insurance policies lack.

Four, it provides the freedom to choose any hospital or medical professional. Under Medicare-for-all you can choose any physician you want, and you can stay with that doctor no matter how many times you change jobs. No longer will your choice be limited by the insurance companies’ ability to get the best rate without regard to quality.

Five, it allows the physician to determine the best course of treatment based on need, not based on whether your insurance policy covers the treatment or whether you can afford it.

While no one disputes the benefits, many are engaged in misstatements about Medicare-for-all that make egregious errors, including a major media outlet. The Washington Post said this: “Health-care costs have been mod-

erating in recent years, a fact the [Bernie] Sanders plan relies on to balance its books. However, a major reason for that cost containment has been the rise of high-deductible plans of precisely the kind Mr. Sanders wants to eliminate; cost-sharing encourages people to avoid unnecessary tests and other wasteful expenses.”

There are at least three errors in the above statement. First, there is very little, if any, evidence to support this statement. Second, in recent years, medical costs have been moderating in most developed countries, even the ones that have no co-payments or deductibles.

Third, if high-deductible plans are necessary to contain costs, then how do they explain that countries with single-payer systems that lack co-payments or deductibles, such Canada and England, have substantially lower costs than the U.S.? On a per-capita basis, we spend twice as much as Canada and more than 2.5 times what England spends on health care. If high-deductibles were necessary to keep health care costs down, then both England and Canada should have much higher health care costs than the U.S. The best response to the claim that people would overuse health care if it

Metro, Metro, Metro

By Ken Martin

Finally, a revelation that Metro has grossly inconvenienced the community it “serves!” After 35 years of neglect they decided to repair the rail system, escalators and elevators. And now,, after wrecking weekends for citizens, tourists and more importantly business owners (by negatively affecting the flow of customers, local spending and possibly employment) — Metro authorities announced that what couldn’t have been completed quickly over nights four or five days a week, can’t be accomplished just over weekends either.

Delays, some 20 to 30 minutes long, single tracking, misstated announcements, curt statements by disgruntled station managers upset by the behavior of overcharged and disgruntled passengers, and some-

times the outright lies of Metro officials have created an atmosphere of disgust, frustration and lack of trust with those in charge of our lives on a weekly basis. And now we learn the powers that be want to shut down the system to repair it and build another line simultaneously. The greatest single source of (di)stress in this area is no longer the political climate. It’s Metrorail/ Metrobus/WMATA! Shall we call it a work in progress (process)?

Ken Martin is a Vendor/Artist for Street Sense. He has a background in community organizing as well as real estate. Ken operates a pop-up hat shop in the District. Learn more at www.brims4you.com and help him get it started at www.gofundme.com/kenmartin.

were free was this comment: “Gee honey, I have nothing to do today. I think I’ll go get a colonoscopy.”

High-deductible plans do achieve one result. They cause people to forgo needed medical care because they cannot afford it, aggravating the continuing problem with underinsurance.

An often-stated misleading and possibly disingenuous statement about Medicare-for-all is that it is unclear whether you can keep your health care plan if you want. Since insurance is unnecessary under a Medicare-for-all system, no plan is needed. Generally, people want to keep their plans because they can use the doctor they want and/or the out-of-pocket costs are affordable. A Medicare-for-all plan, as already mentioned, allows you to choose any doctor and eliminates out-ofpocket expenses, something that almost no health insurance plans match.

A statement that is definitely misleading and disingenuous is that Medicare-forall will raise taxes because it neglects to mention that it will save money for a substantial majority of the population. Gerald Friedman, an economist who has studied single-payer economics for many years, estimates that Medicare-for-all will save

or reduce health care costs for at least 95 percent of the population. For example, a family that makes $50,000 per year will pay an extra $466 in taxes, but the savings from no premiums, no deductibles and no co-pays produces a net saving of $5,807.

Now there has been some debate about how many people will save from a Medicarefor-all plan. Kevin Thorpe, a Health Policy and Management professor, argues that Friedman’s savings estimates are too high, but even Thorpe concedes that more than 70 percent of working families will save money.

And this brings up to the final issue: cost. Thorpe argues that Friedman’s estimates of the savings are too high. However, Thorpe’s analysis is flawed for a variety of reasons, and his current analysis contradicts some of his previous work that was more in line with Friedman’s numbers.

Another misleading and disingenuous argument is put forth related to cost; it will increase government spending. Certainly, if we went to a Medicare-for-all system, the government would spend more on health care, but it is money that will be spent anyway. In 2014, we spent more than $3 trillion. Does it matter if that burden is paid almost all by the government, or by the government and insurance companies? Yes, because if we move to Medicare-for-all, we save at least $600 billion per year along with all the other previously mentioned benefits of a singlepayer system, especially ending the individuals’ financial burden of health care. As one economist, lawyer, and expert on the federal budget said, “[W]e cannot afford not to do so.”

For all these reasons, Medicare-for-all advocates are winning the debate.

Joseph Sparks is a journalist who writes about politics, health care, and information technology.

The Street Sense Writers’ Group is led by writing professionals and meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The group’s goal is to develop ideas and collaborate on the next great issue of Street Sense.

By Patty Smith Vendor/Artist I don’t like surprises! But one time, on my 21st birthday, my mother threw me a surprise birthday party.

My aunt Cindy said to me “today, since it is your birthday, we will go and get you a present.”

We left home and went to Gimbels Department s t o r e . We l o o k e d around and I saw a barrette. It was pretty with gold in it. I told her I wanted that one and she bought it for me.

Then we went to a beauty shop and I tried on a wig. It looked good on me too, so Aunt Cindy also bought that for me. We went home and she opened our door. I went inside and all our friends and

Surprises!

family were there with some church friends too.

“Surprise! Surprise!” They all said. All I could think of was ‘I see you at church 2 or 3 days a week, and now you’re at my birthday party?!’

My mother used to make me go to church so much.

By Richard Embden Vendor/Artist I was enjoying a nice bike ride.

It was night on dark sidewalk paths I was moving at a pretty good clip.

The path did veer off a bit, I didn't see it that well, as I was without my glasses.

All of a sudden I wasn't pedaling anymore.

Surprise —I was swimming!

I went from the sidewalk straight into the canal.

Of course it took me a little while to realize that the water wasn't that deep.

I thought I was drowning, ‘till I stood up.

Perception or Reality: Silence is Agreement

Not Always, but More than Never

It was a lovely morning when I walked toward Starbucks at L Street and Vermont Avenue. I entered, prepared to have my morning tea, but I needed to stop at the rest room first.

I heard him before I saw him: a white guy on the cash register. “No, no, no! I can’t have you in there,” he said when he saw me walk in and head toward the bathroom with my suitcase and my blanket (to cover my legs). He left customers in line and spastically ran towards me shouting, This employee’s behavior was inexcusable. He reached out to grab me when he got close.

I reacted by saying “Excuse me, what are you talking about?”

He stopped, returned to the cash register, and patiently waited on the patrons he had abandoned.

It is sad that in the year 2016 we still have people like this with eyes wide shut. Too many people’s minds are conditioned to judge others outright. People with unstable housing are usually still taxpayers like you. But, ignored and forgotten, they are not given the same level of respect, if any at all.

It has gotten to the point that some people feel it is imperative to stop others from sitting idly.

Those others are too often targeted through racism, stereotyping and profiling. I was soon to be a paying customer, but because I “looked homeless” I was not given the chance. However, I witnessed three other well-dressed folks enter and go straight to the restroom with no trouble from the staff.

I generally receive respect from other Starbucks locations, so I brought this incident to the attention of the woman in charge that day at Ver-

One hard thing I am doing is to not interfere with my daughter's and grandkids' lives. I have to totally trust God, the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ's name and not stick my hand in. I need to back off. I can say I love them and avoid causing them more pain.

In my mind I feel like they think I don't care. But my daughter is wise and reminds me often that I don't know how others think.

I was very undisciplined about this issue. Now I am learning to become responsible--not always, but more than never.

By Robert Williams, USMC, Vendor/Artist

mont and L. She attempted to apologize on behalf of the employee – which I did not think was her place to do. So she asked him to apologize to me, but what I got was half-hearted and meaningless.

No one else made any comments or inquired as to why the cashier couldn’t allow me to use the bathroom when this happened. Everyone went about their business. So he probably felt that he was doing the right thing. And I had the wherewithall to stand up for myself. What about those who might be too beaten-down to bother?

I implore you, please don’t witness and accept the dehumanization of another human being if something similar happens around you. You cannot be passive. This same treatment could eventually reach your own doorstep.

Low-wage workers can labor for 40-80 hours per week and still live precariously. Missing a couple of day’s labor can put your rent and mortgage on the line. If you lose your job, things could really go badly. Then you are propelled into the ever increasing ranks of the homeless. Let’s not wait for that to happen.

We/I/you must raise our voices to create lasting change through future generations and prevent the suffering we now live with.

We must unite to create a level playing field.

Equality for all, not inequality.

What issues are important to you? Research them for yourself, and let me know by contacting Street Sense! Thank you for reading.

Response may be submitted to Robert via editor@streetsense.org

By Elizabeth Bryant, Vendor/Artist

What a Reunion!

By Beverly Sutton, Vendor/Artist I thought April 4 was going to be just another day selling Street Sense at my station outside the Giant in Van Ness Street.

Then a woman said, "Hey Beverly, how ya’ doin'?

Where ya been?" It was my foster sister Charlene! We hugged! And why wouldn't we? We hadn't seen each other for 23 years. I was very surprised, but Charlene was even MORE surprised.

After my mother died when I was 9-years-old, I went to foster care in a house on Emerson Street. Charlene came there soon after. I was institutionalized seven years later. After the institution close, I became homeless.

But those days are over. I live have an apartment in Northwest and Charlene lives in Southeast. She was at the Giant buying food for mom, who lives in a senior center not far from the Giant. After she dropped off the food, she came back and we went to dinner.

We traded phone numbers. She said she'll see me in a coupla weeks. I'm gonna call her to remind her about that!

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

13

VENDOR WRITING

AFTER KATRINA: A Ten-Year Roller Coaster, Part 19

By Gerald Anderson, Vendor/Artist

By Ivory WIlson Vendor/Artist PREVIOUSLY: Dean’s crew kidnapped Mick the Tick and grilled him for information about Pee-Wee’s whereabouts. Mick claimed he didn’t have any information and ran into the sewer. Now, the crew’s planning a hit on Bill...

INT.—UNION STATION—DAY RAGS: Boss, he’s been lying to stay alive.

Why did you let him go?

DEAN:Sending Mick back alive ensures that Bill will back off. His guard will be down.

Dean’s outfit steals a bottle of antifreeze from a truck parked at Union Station. They fill balloons with the antifreeze.

Penny eats the salmon, which has been laced with antifreeze. Minutes later . . .

BILL: Penny, what’s wrong? Your eyes are closing.

PENNY:I don’t know, my love. I’m not feeling well.

BILL (taking Penny in his arms): Help!

Help! Somebody, please!! Help!

PENNY (as Bill begins to cry): Don’t cry, my love. I’ll be taking your love with me.

Penny dies.

FBI determines cause of death is poisoned food. Mick is in the sewer with a first aid kit, overhears the outfit and purple gangs talking about how they poisoned Bill’s food, he takes off running for Capital Hill to find Willie and Larry.

INT.—UNION STATION—NIGHT

RAGS: We set up spots and have crews waiting to grab Willie, once Bill has been hit.

DEAN: Good, good. Make sure you bring his wife. I want to be first to bite her neck.

RAGS: It will be done, Boss.

Dean and gang are watching the news.

Winter comes, cold, icy and snowy. The White House lawn is covered in 6 feet of snow. The purple and outfit gangs tunnels their way through the snow to Bill’s food bowls, which are placed on the lawn. Bill and Penny are holding hands and kissing.

NBC 4: Today, an attempt has been made on Bill’s life. His girlfriend, Penny, has been killed instead.

DEAN: What?! They missed?! I want some answers! That cat’s got nine lives! Rags, who was in charge of this hit?

RAGS: Boss, Under-boss did their best.

They didn’t know she would eat Bill’s food.

DEAN: I want Bill DEAD! Dead! Under-boss and his crew need to be dealt with.

PENNY: Bill, honey, I’m getting a bit hungry!

BILL: There’s some fresh salmon still in my bowl.

PENNY: I’ll be right back.

Rags has one of Mick’s crew tied up in a chair in the next room. Dean takes his bat and beats him to death.

(to be continued)

PREVIOUSLY: One night at midnight, a guard come down to tell me, “We have a court order to move you to CTF.” My cellmate tell me CTF the rat floor. Then I tell the guard, “I ain’t goin’ up to the rat floor!” The guard say to me, “What going on, Orlean? You don’t wanna go?” I say, “They already offered me some deals; I ain’t never gonna be a rat.” Now that they try to make a deal with me, I had to let my co-defendant know I wasn’t gonna snitch. If you real, you bring that kinda thing to your codee. If not, it’s like you workin’ with the government. The next morning, I get up and see the inmate who pick up the laundry. I tell him to pass the word to my codee to meet me at medical.

I need to see him ASAP...

After talking with my co-defendant I felt better, getting’ off my mind how the corrections officer wanted me to rat. My codee say, “Good lookin’ out, man. Stay strong.” He knew I was keepin’ it real, never gonna snitch.

I left him and went to the tier where my cell take lunch—Salisbury steak, potato, salad, roll, cookie, Kool-Aid. I sit down eatin’, thinking to myself, I’m in too deep to look back. So whatever happens I’ve gotta deal with it.

I thought back to the morning I got a phone call from one of my clients, Mike.

He say, “I been lookin’ for ya. I been up on the hill lookin’ for ya. I hear the people looking for ya.”

“They already got my mens,” I say, “but it be Hell if they get me. I’m gonna stay outta they way.”

He say, “I’m tryin to see you. My folks in town.” That’s code for he got lots of money and the people he coppin’ drugs for are spendin’ big.

I say what’s up and he say, “I’m tryin to get 30 or 40 brown shoes.” That’s code for 30 or 40 bags of heroin.

So I say, “Bet.” That means yeah.

He say, “Where you at?”

I say, “I don’t tell too many people where I’m at. But I’m gonna trust you

The Parrot and the Peacock

By Michael Craig, Vendor/Artist

There’s a peacock and a parrot in the jungle, they’re the best of friends.

The peacock presumed it was better than everybody else: magnificent and superior. Every day, in its vanity, the peacock would hold its wings extended to shine in the sun and stare at its own colors.

Despite this, the parrot looked out for the peacock. They had grown up together.

But the parrot had wisdom and humility in addition to beautiful feathers.

The parrot looked up in the sky and read the clouds. It realized a tropical storm was approaching.

The peacock was too busy embellishing itself in its vanity.

“We getting’ ready to get hit love – look up!” the parrot screeched.

But the peacock was too busy peacockin’.

The parrot, in its wisdom, takes shelter.

The storm hit.

Afterwards, the parrot went to check on the peacock.

The parrot found the peacock sitting alone, crying: All its feathers had been blown off in the storm.

So the parrot consoles the peacock and wipes its tears away.

“Tomorrow is going to be a new day. Your feathers will grow back, you’re going to be alright – don’t worry.”

And sure enough they did. From then on, the peacock let go of its own vanity and shared its gifts with others.

Now the peacock and the parrot can both be found enjoying the sunshine together.

man—not because of the money, but because you would never cross me. You know where Gallaudet is, the deaf school?”

He say he know, and I tell him I’m comin’ down Florida Avenue.

I tell him, “I’ll meet you in the neutral ground.” That mean the island in the street. I say, “Make sure you don’t have no one else with you.”

He say, “That’s a bet. You know I wouldn’t bring anyone with me man.”

I tell him I be wearin’ a hoodie.

That’s cause I don’t want the police to recognize me.

A few minutes later he called me to say he pullin’ up. After I got in the car with him, I say, “I smell Burger King or somethin’.”

He say, “Yeah, they got Burger King up the street.”

I say, “Let’s ride up there. I’m gonna get me a Whopper and some fries and a strawberry shake.”

Before we got there his phone rung.

He say hello and then he say, “Me and Orlean together right now. We goin’ to Burger King.”

I say, “Man why you tell someone I’m in the car?”

He say, “That’s my girl on the phone.”

I say I didn’t care.

He wanted to go thru the drive thru; I said no. While he get out the car to get the food, I wanted to get myself together with his 30 “brown shoes.” Lookin’ out the side mirror, I see all kind of dough boy car pullin’ up: Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Hummer.

Then I see some police getting out the black and yellow Hummer truck. I say to myself, Goddamn they gonna get somebody.

I take a handkerchief out and wipe my forehead. Next thing I know I got the barrel of a Glock 40 pointed in my face.

(to be continued) My book, “Still Standing: How an Ex-Con Found Salvation in the Floodwaters of Katrina,” is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle form.

A Check Up from the Neck Up

By Kanell Washington, Vendor/Artist

My mom always told me one of the most important words you should use to guide your life is “perseverance.” If you persevere, then you can and will achieve your goals.

My father taught me that nothing is impossible. Never say “can’t.”

So when I came up against anything like a girl I really wanted to know, I just put my foot forward and spoke my heart and mind. But I approached my life of crime the same way. I told myself I could do it. I never thought small.

Let’s face it I was a child locked up at eleven or twelve. Fear has always been a part of my life - I would mess a dude up.

But I don’t believe anyone who says they have no fear, they are a fake.

When I was nine years old, I was going to be a barber. In class I stood on boxes to cut hair because I was so short. There was an ounce of fear there - I didn’t want to mess up. But Mr. Johnson told me the only person holding me back was me. “Never let these clippers or shears scare you from being you.”

After that I gave mean cuts, at one point I had a planet full of customers.

But your mind can play all of kinds of games with you if you slip up. I’m a real bipolar case at times. But determination and perseverance means to simply keep your mind on a desired outcome. It is the first step to a successful end, but determination means nothing without the discipline. Our dreams are real if we want them to be.

I also wanted to sing. Me and my brother Twin taught each other how! I can stop a room full of people when I’m really feeling it. That’s one of our dreams that came true.

One must have the dedication to stick with what you are doing to get what you want. Be that person you see yourself to be. Like Nike, “just do it.”

If you get to where things are difficult and can’t find your way, don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. It takes an adult to do so. Always think ahead, but don’t forget the past — it can bring about a better future.

We are raised to believe that it is a sign of weakness to display any kind of fear or emotions; that you can’t trust most people.

But trust yourself and all will come to light.

Only when I unloaded some of the weight I was carrying could I focus on my prize.

Regardless of the circumstances you have been in, you must move on.

One also needs concentration. You need to be about your work and not get caught up in the sound effects of life. In the long run, you will be amazed by what you have achieved and you will be able to look back on how you overcame tremendous barriers.

I know now that I could not choose the circumstances that put me where I was. Although I wasn’t free physically, my mind was

free to face other parts of life’s challenges.

Maintain your focus and remain humble to Self first, then others around you. But keep the prize in sight and work at it diligently.

Have a hunger to push forward.

Don’t stop, not even for Self.

Another important ingredient to perseverance is surrounding the Self with loved ones. I don’t have friends. Friends can and will cross you. I know, one did it to me. I went to jail because of that person.

But really not for him, but for Self. I got caught. And I have a code of ethics that I was taught to live by, so a lot of it was on me. I should have known better than to get near that person again.

Loved ones, are the people that are really important to me. They are part of who I am, and they support my endeavors. I can’t begin to tell you about everyone, but I have to give a shout out to Gretchen, Maisha, Wallace, Curtrice, Emily, Tammie, Waleska, Delorse, Ranada, Avery, Chris and Leila.

They have been a big inspiration to me. I should also thank all those that taught me through falsehoods, trickery and deceit. It all hurt, but it also made me reach my goals and never fall back or fall for them again.

Then there are people like Gemma, who stole my love for the first time in my life.

It took me many nights to get her out of my head and look at her from another point of view. But I realized she expected me to fail in life. It’s nice to be nice, but I had to get back to the grind and keep my eye on my prize. I love being the underdog in any situation. I love proving the Gemma’s in the world wrong. I’m the only one who is really not surprised when I persevere and accomplish my goals.

My motto is simple: no one can tell me that I can’t succeed. The only true limitations in life are the one’s our minds set for ourselves. For some, the road to success is merely based on taking advantage of opportunities that you provide for yourself. For those with no dreams to go after, the road is much more difficult. In my life, I’ve found success at the end to be much sweeter.

I had to go to work when I six and did not have the knowledge, which I found to be oh so powerful when they knocked me down. But knowledge made me get back up, because in my mind I knew I could really do what I wanted to. And there has been nothing sweeter than stealing victory from the jaws of defeat.

When Twin and Ma-Lou passed, that was the lowest point of my life. Because I was in jail, I couldn’t do anything for them.

That’s what hurt. Jail I could deal with.

It hurts when one has failed to stay free repeatedly because he had nothing Twin and Ma-Lou were my world. Then Gemma came into my life and took that world, distracting me from my goals. Yet I’ve built myself back up. I will always love her, but I can’t stop for Self. If you can see a dream, then you can touch it.

Stay motivated at all times.

My Name is Moyo, Part 1

By Moyo Onibuje, Vendor/Artist

Alex Haley was the best story writer in America.

He wrote “Roots,” a globally syndicated television series that told the story of one man’s search for his black roots during the 17th century.

This is my story. It starts a long, long, long time ago. I was born in a military hospital for World War II veterans in north London. My mother was an art historian and pharmacist for a huge hospital in London. She was of German descent. My father was an electrical and mechanical engineer, working with the Steven Spielberg’s of the time in the fifties and sixties at Pinewood Studios in London. He did all the electrical work for the studios.

By the time I was six months old, I was obese. Around the time I was five years old, my father decided he had reached his peak in England and wanted to return to Nigeria to set up business as a mechanical engineer. My mother, a white woman, decided to return with him.

In the early ‘70s, I believed that people in Africa lived in the bush, built mud huts, wore palm tree skirts and were hunter-gatherers — which was true of a huge section of the population at the time. When we reached Nigeria my father became immediately disillusioned and shocked.

Corruption was widespread, colonialism still existed, the temperature was always above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and infectious diseases were rampant. The country had just concluded a civil war in which millions had died, more from disease and famine than actual bombs.

Many questions must have plagued my father: where to live; what school to enroll me in; and so on. I do know at the time, his brother—my uncle—had just run to be elected as chief of over three million Yorubas. My father was extremely jealous of his brother’s success as a chief, so much so that when his brother founded the Abeokuta Social Club to promote the language and culture of West African peoples (a club that still exists today), he cried.

Life was routine for us for the next five or six years, with father traveling throughout the country while my mother kept the house, concentrating mostly on gardening the huge amounts of seedlings she had brought back from London.

Not too long after we had moved to our new home, 10 miles from the inter-

national airport, we were robbed. One night they stole most of what my father had brought back from England. Their intentions were to rape my mother and sister, but my father chased them away.

It was around this time that my father bought land to build his own homes. At present, over 80,000 acres of land are attributed to the family: huge farms with lakes full of fish and a dozen trailers and tractors combined, spread across 18 villages and over a mountain. I remember 18-wheeler trucks bringing tomatoes for the farmers to sell in the market.

I finished primary school in Africa in 1975, and then enrolled in the secondary Catholic school. I remember the songs we sang at the assembly every day. The nuns were imported from Ireland, and in the Catholic Church on the premises there were pictures of Jesus in the Stations of the Cross. It was a very religious experience, but we still managed to get up to many antics, too numerous to remember.

The children of the elite Nigerians were enrolled in the school and I became friends with many of them. Their fathers were regional governors of Nigeria, ambassadors, and so on. Many years later, the most famous musician in Nigeria, King Sunny Ade, played at my wedding. His previous gigs were playing for the past Presidents of the country. He was Nigeria’s own Bruce Springsteen.

About this time, my mother became principal and the art teacher at a Lebanese community school in Nigeria. The Americans had been bombing Lebanon and so the Lebanese set up school in Nigeria to migrate there. My mother used to teach the President’s children. One day, reports came on the radio that the President had been assassinated. A convoy of nine military trucks came to pick his children up from the school. He had been a very good President and many people cried, including me.

Around this time I started moving with my first cousin Femi Kuti, whose father Fela was called the “Black President.” Fela Kuti was the most famous composer and activist to ever come out of Africa. His story, “Fela!,” headlined at the Harman Shakespeare Theatre for three weeks straight in 2011. My first experience of advocacy and activism was when Fela Kuti’s house was burned down by the military and 2,000 people were made homeless instantly.

My name is Moyo and I love working for Street Sense. I will be continuing my story, so stay tuned!

Not too long after we had moved to our new home, 10 miles from the international airport, we were robbed...

15

STREET SENSE April 20 - May 3, 2016

COMMUNITY SERVICES Housing/Shelter

Food

Clothing

Showers

Outreach

Medical/Healthcare

Transportation

Laundry

Education

Employment Assistance

Legal Assistance

Academy of Hope Public Charter School: 269-6623 | 601 Edgewood St, NE aohdc.org

Bread for the City: 265-2400 (NW) | 561-8587 (SE) 1525 7th St, NW | 1640 Good Hope Rd, SE breadforthecity.org

Community of Hope: 232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

Jobs Have Priority: 544-9128 425 Snd St, NW jobshavepriority.org

Covenant House Washington: 610-9600 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE covenanthousedc.org

John Young Center: 639-8569 119 D Street, NW

Calvary Women’s Services: 678-2341 1217 Good Hope Road, SE calvaryservices.org

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

Catholic Charities: 772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp

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

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

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

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

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

Community Family Life Services: 347-0511 | 305 E St, NW cflsdc.org

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

Foundry Methodist Church: 332-4010 1500 16th St, NW foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities ID (FRIDAY 9-12 ONLY)

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

Gospel Rescue Ministries: 842-1731 810 5th St, NW grm.org

Samaritan Ministry: 1516 Hamilton Street NW | 722-2280 1345 U Street SE | 889-7702 samaritanministry.org

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

Martha’s Table: 328-6608 2114 14th St, NW marthastable.org

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

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

St. Luke’s Mission Center: 333-4949 3655 Calvert St. NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

My Sister’s Place: 529-5991 (24-hour hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

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

N Street Village: 939-2060 1333 N Street, NW nstreetvillage.org

Unity Health Care: 745-4300 3020 14th St, NW unityhealthcare.org

New York Ave Shelter: 832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave, NE

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

Open Door Shelter: 639-8093 425 2nd St, NW newhopeministriesdc.org/id3.html

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

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

CELEBRATING SUCCESS!

A Poor Veteran Tries

By Michael Matthew Vendor/Artist

I have been in this city for more than 25 years. I am one of its poor, unemployed veterans. And I am always trying to make this a better community.

I have attempted to run for public office at least six times. Full disclosure: I have never made it to the ballot.

I am always a write-in candidate. That may be because I am not that good at raising money. I don't feel comfortable asking for money. But I feel confident asking people for their votes. So, I want your vote! I don't want your money!

Washington is a great city in which to campaign. I have learned through experience that you can run a good campaign without spending a lot of money. You can campaign at the bus stops, the train stops, downtown on K Street NW and other places downtown with so many clusters of people. This makes it easy to get your message out.

It's a wonderful feeling when you run for public office because you are doing something constructive. Campaigning also forces you to stay centered, focused, disciplined and determined. You have to have a direction.

Most importantly, you must believe in yourself.

I have been trying to make Washington: The The The The The The The

healthiest city; most peaceful city; safest city; city we love; city with no guns; city with no crime; city of champions.

But the city cannot be any of these until we End Homelessness!

LAST WORD: TO THE GIRL WITH THE FRESH, PLAIN FACE

By Belinda Russell, Volunteer

Just a few things I would like to say Thank you, firstly, for entering my life; Didn’t think to ask your name or number, But you’ve made your mark on me

COMMUNITY MEMORIAL: CRISTOPHER GROSS

I don’t know what it was that stopped me, But I’m guessing it was your spirit As you swaddled your dog like a little baby, You found a kindred spirit in me.

By Joe Jackson Vendor/Artist I was sleeping at Tenleytown Metro station on March 22 when my best friend died next to me. He was about to get an apartment — we’d both been put on

I approached you thinking I could solve all ills, Yet soon learned that wasn’t the case; My generous donation with directions to shelter Fell flat on its proverbial face.

I know about bureaucracy, With all its efficient inefficacy, But thought I’d done this differently By approaching you directly I was stunned when you shot down all my solutions, Spent weeks in a tailspin, asking why, Can’t forget you, can’t dismiss you, can’t be blind anymore, If only we had wings and could fly.

Now I know that no one has the key, But maybe together we’ll find it, If only I can just find you and your dog, I‘ll be your best foster dog parent.

Belinda Russell wrote this poem after meeting and speaking with a young girl in her mid-to-late teens on a cold day in February. Russell will never see a person who is asking for money on the street corner the same way again.

April 20 - May 3, 2016 • Volume 13 • Issue 12

Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW

Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC

Washington, DC 20005

Mail To:

Permit #568

Remember, buy only from badged vendors and do not give to those panhandling with

hold for housing.

Rest in peace Cristopher Gross. I will miss you very much.

I was sleeping at our spot the other day and thinking about you there. Who’s going to be next when something bad happens?

I continue to sell my paper and Cris remains in my heart for life. We had just been talking about how to celebrate my birthday, and the next thing I knew, he was dead. Writing this letter, Just thinking about you, I shed a little tear. It hurts to see you gone. Love you, Crisie!

I want to thank everyone who showed up for the memorial service we held on Saturday, April 16. It was nice that everyone there had something nice to say about Cris.

I had met him in the street — we were both homeless. We became fast friends and had each other’s backs out there. I feel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Warren Stevens 4/18

sad not to see Cris at our spot. It makes me wonder: are the people of Tenleytown going to forget about me when I’m gone?

I love the people in Tenleytown because they are nice and kind. Thank you for the clothes Ms. Kathy! I have a lot of love for the people in my life that help.

Thank you.

Cris died on the ground.

People of Washington, D.C., please, don’t leave the homeless on the ground.

I want to leave something behind to show that Joe Jackson was here and that I helped the community in a positive way.

Cris died on the ground. People of Washington, D.C., please, don’t leave the homeless on the ground.

We are human, no different than you.

Try to remember you are one step away from being homeless yourself. If you see someone in need of help, don’t turn away.

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