04.24.2024

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

suggested contribution goes directly to your vendor

e provide people experiencing homelessness and poverty in D.C. with a low barrier economic opportunity to earn an income. Each one of our vendors functions as an independent contractor for Street Sense Media, managing their own business to earn an income and increase stability in their lives.

Abel Putu, Abraham Aly, Aida Peery, Al Edmonson, Akindele Akerejah, Amia Walker, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Burton Wells, Carlos Carolina, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Clinton Kilpatrick, Conrad Cheek, Corey

Sanders, Daniel Ball, Darlesha Joyner, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon (Gigi) Dovonou, Denise Hall, Dominique Anthony, Don Gardner, Donté Turner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Eric Thompson-Bey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Frederic John, Frederick Walker, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, Gracias Garcias, Greta Christian,

Harriet Fields, Henrieese Roberts, Henry Johnson, Invisible Prophet, Ivory Wilson, Jacqueline “Jackie” Turner, James Davis, James Hughes, Jeanette Richardson, Jeff Taylor, Jeffery McNeil, Jeffrey Carter, Jemel Fleming, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jermale McKnight, Jet Flegette, Jewel Lewis, John Littlejohn, Josie Brown, Juliene Kengnie,

Kenneth Middleton, Kym Parker, Laticia Brock, Lawrence Autry, Levester Green, L. Morrow, Marc Grier, Marcus McCall, Mars, Martin Walker, Mary Sellman, Maurice Carter, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Michael Warner, Morgan Jones, Nikila Smith, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Peaceful Tobias, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Rachelle

Ellison, Rashawn Bowser, Reginald Black, Reginald C. Denny, Ricardo Meriedy, Richard “Mooney” Hart, Rita Sauls, Robert Vaughn, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, S. Smith, Sasha Williams, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sybil Taylor, Tony Bond, Tonya Williams, Vennie Hill, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams, Willie Futrelle

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ashley McMaster, Blake Androff, Clare Krupin, Corrine Yu, Jonquilyn Hill, Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Nana-Sentuo Bonsu, Shari Wilson, Stanley Keeve

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Brian Carome

NEWS

Police detain pregnant woman, hold her for an hour during encampment closure

MARGARET HARTIGAN Editorial Intern

D.C. police temporarily detained a pregnant Black woman during an encampment closure on April 17. The police held her in a police van for an hour while D.C.’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) removed her encampment, throwing away her tent and the majority of her belongings.

Tavoncia, the encampment resident, had lived in a wooded area behind a boarded-up house in Deanwood for about six months before the closure. (In the police report for the incident, the resident’s name is spelled Tavonicia, but she spelled it to Street Sense as Tavoncia).

On March 25, a sign was posted on a fence outside the encampment notifying Tavoncia of the impending closure, but Tavoncia said in an interview with Street Sense during the closure she hadn’t noticed it. She said she usually enters and exits her encampment through another entryway, and rarely passes by where the sign was posted.

“You put up one sign. There are three entrances,” Tavoncia, who does not have a phone or email address, and has had limited contact with the D.C. government, said. “I don’t see that, I don’t walk that way.”

The encampment closure was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on April 17, but Tavoncia requested “a couple of hours” to gather her belongings since she hadn’t known about it. At 10:40 a.m., DMHHS Encampment Response Program Manager Jamal Weldon told Tavoncia and legal advocates on the scene that DMHHS would begin the clearing at 11 a.m.

Tavoncia said that while Community Connections, a homeless outreach group contracted by the city, had stopped by to let her know about the impending closure the month prior, nobody from the city had reached out to her since, although church groups occasionally came by to offer her food. Community Connections did not respond to requests for comment.

“I’m not gonna move fast,” Tavoncia said, citing her high blood pressure and swollen feet due to being three-to-four months pregnant. She expressed frustration, repeatedly saying she felt rushed and bullied.

At 11 a.m., DMHHS officials and police entered the encampment and began speaking with Tavoncia, who was in her tent. Within 20 minutes, eight police officers and recruits had arrived and surrounded Tavoncia’s tent, and an ambulance and police van parked nearby. Asked later about the police presence, an MPD spokesperson wrote there were only six officers and recruits, and did not respond to clarification requests.

At 11:26 a.m., police officers began removing items from Tavoncia’s tent, to which she loudly protested. By 11:28 a.m., she emerged from the tent to talk with the police officers. Less than a minute later, while Tavoncia was speaking with the officers, one took hold of her arms and put her in handcuffs. Police later said that they were engaging in

an FD-12, or involuntary hospitalization, and the police report said Tavoncia was “stopped as a result of an interaction with the Department of Behavioral Health.”

As police restrained her, Tavoncia complained of a shoulder injury, and notified police of her medical conditions — including her pregnancy and high blood pressure, which she said led to a stroke last year.

Tavoncia also told officers she needed to urinate and asked them to let go of her so she could relieve herself (pregnant people often need to urinate more frequently). Officers refused and soon after, Tavoncia relieved herself in her clothes while still being held by the arms by two officers.

After handcuffing Tavoncia, police led her out of the encampment, where an EMT checked her vitals. Police soon placed her in the back of a police van in the same clothes.

When asked for a comment on Tavoncia’s handcuffing and subsequent urination, a spokesperson from MPD wrote to Street Sense that Tavoncia was holding a broken pipe. Tavoncia said while being handcuffed that it was a piece of her tent.

Tavoncia remained in the back of the police van for nearly an hour, handcuffed, while DMHHS officials cleared the encampment. Tavoncia later told Street Sense police told her she would be taken to a nearby hospital as part of the FD-12, but she instead remained in the police car at the scene until 12:28 p.m., when police released her.

According to an MPD report, Tavoncia was detained “until a final determination was made as to whether or not she was an FD-12 candidate.” Ultimately, D.C.’s Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) determined that she did not meet the criteria for an FD-12, at which point she was released. Officers can carry out an FD-12 only if “there is reason to believe that a person is mentally ill and, because of such illness, is likely to injure self or others if not immediately detained,” according to a document from DBH’s website.

MPD did not comment on why the officers engaged in the FD-12, directing questions to DBH. DBH and DMHHS did not respond to emails from Street Sense in time for publication.

Tavoncia was visibly distressed and angry when she was released. “I got locked in a fucking cage,” she said when asked about the experience.

While Tavoncia was detained, DMHHS staff and police officers disposed of all of the items at the encampment except for three trash bags full of Tavoncia’s belongings. According to Weldon, the DMHHS program manager, those bags contained “clothing items and things she had already been packing.” Among the items thrown away were Tavoncia’s two tents, a pair of roller skates, a license plate, and blankets.

“Where’s the rest of my stuff?” Tavoncia repeatedly asked upon returning to the cleared encampment. Continued on page 7.

EVENTS AT SSM

ANNOUNCEMENTS

□ The April vendor meeting will be April 26 from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Join the conversation!

□ Vendor surveys are back. Ten papers and $10 for 10 minutes of your time. See Thomas or Darick.

□ Sell copies of the Street Sense Media Photography Book with your papers! You pay $5 wholesale, you sell them for $20.

□ Find announcements and other useful information at streetsensemedia.org/ vendor-info.

BIRTHDAYS

Reginald Denny April 29

ARTIST/VENDOR

Jeffery McNeil May 7

ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT

Read this democratically elected code of conduct, by vendors, for vendors!

1. I will support Street Sense Media’s mission statement and in so doing will work to support the Street Sense Media community and uphold its values of honesty, respect, support, and opportunity.

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.

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Darick Brown

DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT

Thomas Ratliff

VENDOR

PROGRAM

ASSOCIATES

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS

Ann Herzog, Beverly Brown, Madeleine McCollough, Roberta Haber

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Annemarie Cuccia

Aida Peery, Chon Gotti, Nikila Smith

DEPUTY EDITOR

Donte Kirby

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Andrea Ho, Margaret Hartigan, Nora Scully

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

Bruna Costa

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN

Azaria Jackson

ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE

Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater), Rachel Dungan

(Podcast), Willie Schatz (Writing)

OPINION EDITOR (VOLUNTEER)

Candace Montague

EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS

Annabella Hoge, Anne Eigeman, Benjamin Litoff, Cari Shane, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Dakota Bragato, Dan Goff, Grier Hall, J.M. Acsienzo, Josh Axelrod, Kate Malloy, Kathryn Owens, Lenika Cruz, Micah Levey, Rachel Siegal, Ryan Bacic, Taylor Nichols, Zach Montellaro

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.”

Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget cuts funding for eviction prevention, funds no new housing vouchers

DONTE KIRBY Deputy Editor

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released her $21 billion proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year in early April, cutting funding for eviction prevention and homeless services and providing no new funding for housing vouchers. In committee hearings since the budget unveiling, D.C. councilmembers and housing advocates have said Bowser’s proposed budget cuts are unfairly balanced on the backs of D.C.’s most vulnerable residents.

In an April 3 hearing before the council, Bowser outlined her top priorities: public schools, public safety, and reviving downtown. To offset a $4 billion hole in the budget through fiscal year 2029, including a $700 million shortfall this year, she proposed around $500 million in cuts to city programs, some of which acutely impact those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Bowser’s proposed budget would cut the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which supports District residents who are facing housing emergencies and evictions, in half, and slash the Access to Justice program, which provides legal aid for low-income families facing evictions, domestic violence, and other legal challenges.

The budget did not include funds for new housing vouchers, the city’s main tool to house people experiencing homelessness, for the first time since 2016. It would reduce funding for homeless services, nonprofit leaders testified, but does include funding for shelter renovations and development.

During the April 3 hearing, At-large Councilmember Robert White asked Bowser about the proposed cuts to ERAP, saying he feared the budget would hit the city’s most vulnerable populations twice — first with cuts to services, and then with sales tax hikes that stretch shoestring budgets thinner, compared to more progressive taxes on those in higher tax brackets. The city’s sales tax would increase from 6% to 6.5% in fiscal year 2026, before rising to 7% the following year.

“I think the vulnerable populations are going to feel this much more acutely than others, especially when we cut the programs they rely on,” White said.

Bowser challenged White to identify other cuts that could better account for the loss of billions in American Rescue Plan Act funds and the city’s projected decrease in revenue from sales taxes and income taxes, largely because of remote work taking employees away from the city, as the city’s Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee noted. Revenue is expected to slow to only 2% growth in the coming years, Bowser said.

“We cannot grow programs by 10% when you have 2% growth. It’s unsustainable. You wouldn’t do it in your household, you can’t do it here,” she testified.

Throughout the April 3 hearing, Bowser continued to hone in on ERAP. Her administration has long feuded with the council about the size of the program and allegations of fraud, suggesting residents have become dependent on ERAP.

“What you will have done is conditioned people to say, ‘Don’t pay your rent,” said Bowser. “The government will do it for you.’ And it will never be enough.”

ERAP’s proposed budget is $20 million, a 50% cut to local funding in fiscal year 2024.

White disputed Bowser’s ERAP fraud claims at a Committee on Housing budget oversight hearing on April 5 and argued that it was a necessary program after hearing testimony from housing and economic justice advocacy organizations,

homeless service providers, and people experiencing homelessness.

“There is no evidence of fraud,” White said. “What there is evidence of is that rents are going up much higher than incomes; there’s evidence that evictions are up; there’s evidence that legal programs that assist people in avoiding eviction are all now overstretched. So what we are seeing is a housing crisis, not a crisis of people gaming a system.”

Another big strain on the budget is $217 million over five years to refill the city’s local reserve fund. Bowser said ERAP was a last-minute cut to refill the reserve, or the CFO would not certify the budget.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson challenged Lee on the consequences of an uncertified budget at the April 3 hearing and in a newsletter on April 19 said he would reject Lee’s demands and restore funding for ERAP and the Access to Justice program.

The proposed budget would fund several shelter renovations, including $64 million for a new annex facility at the Federal City Shelter, also known as the Community for Creative Non-Violence, to provide additional shelter capacity and permanent supportive housing; $23 million for renovations to the Naylor Road, V Street, Emery, and Madison shelters and small-scale improvements at other homeless shelters in the system; and $13 million for operating costs for two new non-congregate homeless shelter facilities, The Aston and 25 E Street. It also includes $12 million to continue providing long-term housing and case management to individuals and families who are chronically homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.

The mayor’s executive summary of the proposed budget boasts $30 million in funding to maintain support for rental assistance through the Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP) for families at imminent risk of homelessness. However, the Department of Human Services (DHS) operating budget notes the program will see a 17% decrease from the current year, with a proposed budget of $60.4 million.

Many housing and economic justice advocacy organizations and homeless service providers, such as the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, Empower DC, and Community of Hope shared fears the proposed budget would lead to an increase in people experiencing homelessness. At the budget oversight hearing, residents and advocates said the proposed budget for DHS would force already overburdened services to do more with less.

“By our initial estimates, there are almost $33 million in reduction of services for families,” President and CEO of Community of Hope Kelly McShane said. “The reason we’ve seen a decrease in the past in the number of families experiencing homelessness, is that funds have been invested in every step of the continuum: homelessness prevention, shelter, rapid rehousing, and this has all reduced the length of time in shelter, as well as the addition of permanent supportive housing. There are reductions in the budget for each one of those programs.”

The mayor’s budget proposes a 15% increase in the budget for DHS, from $571.2 million last fiscal year to $659.4 million this coming year. At the hearing, White said the budget increase was a

result of a new DHS truancy program and the addition of the Office of Migrant Services, which weren’t in DHS’s budget last year. Without the combined $47 million in funds from those programs, DHS would receive only a 4% increase.

One of the programs that won’t grow is the Permanent Supportive Housing Voucher program, which provides housing for people who have experienced homelessness for multiple years. As part of her testimony to the housing committee, DHS Director Laura Green Zeilinger said that despite the demand for additional vouchers, the budget shouldn’t allocate more money to the program than the agency can use in a fiscal year. D.C. has struggled to use permanent supportive housing vouchers in recent years and continues to make promises to do better. “We understand the challenge and do not sit easy when we walk out of this building and see people who need housing and we know we have unused vouchers,” Zeilinger said. “It feels like a failure every day. We also know people are moving in every day and that is also to be celebrated.”

Budget Director Jenny Reed told the council at the budget unveiling that she expects to have all existing housing vouchers leased by the end of 2025. This dovetails with DHS’s 2024 goals, submitted to the Committee on Housing, of leasing 60% of housing vouchers funded in FY 2023 and 85% of housing vouchers funded in FY 2022 by October of this year. But that only addresses those stuck in limbo with a voucher, not those who have yet to receive a housing voucher at all.

There are 913 vouchers unassigned as of April 15, according to the information given at an Interagency Council on Homelessness community engagement meeting. DHS expects all unused vouchers to be matched by October, so people waiting in the voucher system can begin finding a home to lease. Kate Coventry, deputy director of legislative strategy for the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, said it’s paramount that the budget adds funding for new vouchers.

“If you become homeless the first day of 2025, you’re going to be homeless all year,” Coventry said. “We’re talking about very vulnerable individuals. People die because of lack of housing. It’s critical that we have vouchers available as people become homeless.”

The city council is scheduled to take its first vote on the budget on May 29.

Screenshot of DHS slide on voucher breakdown from an April 15 District of Columbia Interagency Council on Homelessness community engagement meeting.

HIPS kicks off harm reduction vending machine pilot program

TAYLOR NICHOLS Volunteer Freelance Reporter

ocal harm reduction nonprofit HIPS celebrated the official launch of its harm reduction vending machine project in early April. The pilot project will increase access to fentanyl test strips and other harm reduction supplies across the city thanks to a $300,000 grant from D.C. Health split among local organizations.

LThe machines offer free 24-hour access to critical harmreduction items including clean syringes, condoms, fentanyl test strips, and the life-saving drug naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, which can reverse opioid overdoses.

These efforts to increase access to overdose treatment and prevention resources come in the wake of a record year for opioid deaths in the District, according to a March report from D.C.’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which found 96% of opioid deaths in 2022 and 2023 involved fentanyl. HIPS installed three vending machines in Wards 5 and 8, both of which have been hard hit by overdose deaths.

HIPS celebrated the official project launch on April 5 at the Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center in Congress Heights, where the organization installed a vending machine last summer.

spectrum,” Tanguay said. “There’s levels of care, and people who are in active use may not be ready to go to the health centers to use certain services.”

HIPS installed three machines around the city over the last year and just received funding for two more, although they are still working out the details for future locations, HIPS Outreach and Community Engagement Manager Alexandra Bradley said.

How to use the vending machines

Community members can access free resources in machines already placed at:

Ward 5: Bread for the City near the Howard-Shaw Metro Station (1525 7th St., NW)

Ward 8: The Whitman-Walker Max Robinson Center near the Congress Heights Metro Station (1201 Sycamore Dr., SE)

Ward 8: The Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City in Anacostia (1640 Marion Barry Ave., SE)

Providing harm reduction services helps build trust between patients and local health care systems, said Jona Tanguay, leader of medical substance use disorder programs at WhitmanWalker Health. It can encourage patients to plug in with services and practice safer use even if they aren’t interested in fully stopping drug use, Tanguay added.

“I like to think about substance use disorder care as a

To use the vending machines, you can call the number listed on the machine — (202) 779-0486 — to register. The process requires a date of birth, but no other personal information is necessary to use them. After registration, you’ll be given a reusable four-digit code and can access anything you need from the vending machines.

If you don’t have a phone, you can register with the HIPS

outreach van or at the drop-in center located in Ward 5 at 906 H St., NE.

Because naloxone and fentanyl test strips are considered emergency supplies, you can use the code 9999# to access them without signing up for the program.

The vending machines also have other resources, including hormone injection supplies, face masks, syringes with a variety of gauges, injection kits, granola bars, water bottles and sharps containers that hold between 10 to 20 used syringes.

You can also access snorting kits that help prevent the spread of Hepatitis C, which is easily spread with a small amount of blood by sharing snorting straws, Tanguay said.

Closing gaps in harm reduction research

The vending machines are located in high-need areas to fill gaps in access to services, but they’ll also help inform the current body of knowledge on harm reduction.

HIPS has teamed up with two researchers from the University of Maryland, Andrea López and Greg Midgette, who are studying how the community uses and responds to the machines. They will also look at how implementing machines impacts overdose clusters to understand their efficacy.

From January to March of this year, the most used items included Fentanyl test strips, granola bars, water bottles, safer injection kits, and naloxone, López said.

One benefit of the vending machines is that they seem to be encouraging people to safely dispose of needles, López said. In the first three months of the year, HIPS collected 1,605 more syringes from sharps containers next to the machines than the machines distributed themselves.

“That’s a positive thing to know that when you put it in a disposal box like that, people will use it,” López said.

So far, HIPS has distributed over 11,000 individual items to 102 unique clients through the vending machines.

Aside from providing data to inform local harm reduction efforts, López said their research will fill a gap in the current body of knowledge on harm reduction vending machines.

“We know that overdose death primarily impacts Black men in D.C.,” López said. “There is very little data essentially on populations of color in relation to vending machines, so this is also a gap just more broadly, that we know we’re going to be able to speak upon.”

Having the vending machine located on the Max-Robinson Center medical campus allows Tanguay to provide more comprehensive care to their patients. Before the vending machine was installed, they had to refer patients who needed clean needles and other resources to seek out services from the HIPS drop-in center or outreach van.

“We can give away Narcan, we can give away sharps containers, but we didn’t really have a resource for people for needles and other sort of needs that they were having,” Tanguay said.

Now, Tanguay can tell them to swing by the vending machine downstairs on their way out.

“I’m really excited about the future of this machine and all the potential it has,” Tanguay said. “And potentially even offering even more services in the future to make sure that we’re meeting the community’s needs.”

Starr O’Leary, HIPS community outreach coordinator, shows how to get supplies from the machine. Once enrolled in the program, clients can punch in their reusable four-digit code to get anything they need free of charge from the machines. Photo by Taylor Nichols

In the aftermath of shooting, a youth drop-in center navigates grief and hope

ANDREA HO Editorial Intern

Content warning: This article discusses gun violence.

From the vibrant colors and the welcoming atmosphere at DC Doors, the tragedy that befell this community seems, at first glance, inconceivable.

Since its opening in 2011, DC Doors has become home for dozens of young people experiencing homelessness, especially people who identify as LGBTQ+. One of three youth drop-in centers in the District, DC Doors offers transitional housing and services catered to young people. Established to fill the gap in housing needs in the Latino community, DC Doors primarily serves Spanish-speaking youth.

Last year, a longtime resident and staff member, 23-year-old Brandon Lewis, was shot and killed by another resident within the facilities of DC Doors. Within minutes, all residents and staff members had to be evacuated. DC Doors finally reopened on Christmas Day after weeks of closure. But the shooting still casts a palpable shadow over the community.

“We had all the walls repainted,” said Janethe Peña, founder and executive director of DC Doors. “We used to have murals, but they became a trigger. We didn’t want residents and the staff to associate the murals with the incident, so we repainted the walls in white to symbolize a fresh start.”

Peña was off work the night of the shooting, only rushing back after receiving multiple phone calls from her coworkers. Once at the scene, she helped obtain the footage, secure the facility, call the shelter hotline, and ensure the young people who were displaced had a place to go, she said, recounting the frenzy that followed the shooting.

“We had many migrant youths who didn’t speak English. There was another layer of trauma for them because they had just traveled such a long way and they were being displaced again,” Peña said. “We didn’t have answers to anything.”

The trauma from the shooting became imprinted on the DC Doors community, continuing after the facility reopened on Dec. 25, at a limited capacity. Peña said a few staff members resigned because of safety concerns.

“When I left DC Doors at 1 a.m. that morning, I just remember feeling so scared,” Peña said through tears. “And I thought, if I was feeling like this, I can’t even imagine how the staff who performed the chest compressions and the youths who saw the incident feel.”

Lewis, who was killed in the shooting, was housed by DC Doors’ extended transitional living project, which is intended for young people who have both a mental illness and a substance use disorder. Consequently, Lewis was a familiar

face in the DC Doors community as well as with shelter providers around the District.

“He had his quirks. What made him unique was the fact that, months earlier, he had assisted me in saving another young man’s life,” Peña reminisced.

“It really bothered me, because Brandon was such a light. I have known him since he arrived at DC Doors,” added Cilinia Whitted, who has worked at DC Doors for the past five years and was on shift the night of the shooting. “It still bothers me.”

Peña told Street Sense that she, along with many community members, had been requesting for the past two years that D.C.’s Department of Human Services (DHS) install security measures at DC Doors. DC Doors is “a low-barrier facility where we don’t ask questions for youths to enter,” she said, which makes security measures a priority.

“Prior to the incident, we would have to call the police every other day,” Peña said. “We had to de-escalate fights. We weren’t able to manage the youths coming here with arrays of issues, like being inebriated or having a mental health crisis.”

However, DHS, which contracts with DC Doors to provide services, only engaged in conversations on security after the shooting, Peña said. She was adamant about only reopening the faciliity once DHS implemented security measures.

The interior of DC Doors, also known as Zoe’s Doors, is bright and colorful. Photo by Andrea Ho

DHS did not respond to Street Sense’s request for comment on the shooting and new security procedures in time for publication.

Since December, DC Doors has installed metal detectors, X-ray machines, door alarms, and more security cameras. DHS funded half of these security costs, while DC Doors covered the other half through fundraising. Peña said DHS also recently introduced new security measures at the other two youth drop-in centers in D.C. — Sasha Bruce Youthwork and Latin American Youth Center.

“To be honest, it took the life of a youth for DHS to take action. That really hurt us,” said Lady Ventura, a 23-year-old resident of DC Doors, at an oversight hearing on Feb. 29. “[Lewis] was part of the DC Doors family.”

DHS, shelter providers, and residents often disagree on the extent to which security measures are necessary. Security measures, which can prevent weapons from being carried in, can also be invasive, creating an air of surveillance.

“I have witnessed a lot of drug addicts in other shelters where I haven’t felt safe,” testified Maria Rivera, a current resident of DC Doors, at the hearing. “I have met a lot of genuine people here. I think they deserve opportunities to join programs where they are accepted for who they are.”

At the hearing, Theresa Silla, executive director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, said implementing security measures at youth drop-in centers like DC Doors was a “delicate situation.”

“This is a double-edged sword,” Silla said, referring to the installation of security features and the hiring of security personnel. “This prevents some youths from accessing critical services but inspires feelings of safety and security for other youths who want to access those same services.”

In her interview with Street Sense, Peña refuted the claim that security measures turn young people away. According to her, the security measures put in place at DC Doors have been successful — the only emergency phone calls DC Doors makes now are medical calls.

“The youths who really need the services are the youths who are going to come,” Peña said. “You can ask anyone here

and they will tell you that we feel much safer. The presence of a security guard — not even a police officer — sets the tone of safety.”

This was corroborated by Carlos Martinez, a resident of DC Doors, who told Street Sense that he felt much safer after DC Doors reopened with security measures. Like Ventura, he said security measures should have been implemented long ago.

“This is a safety issue not just for the youths, but for the staff too,” Whitted said in her interview with Street Sense. “Attendance has decreased, but DC Doors feels a lot safer now.”

While there are similar tensions at adult drop-in centers, the facilities have long been required to adopt security measures. Youth drop-in centers should, therefore, have such security measures too, Peña added.

Several residents and former residents of DC Doors showed up to the Feb. 29 hearing to share their experiences with the youth drop-in center with the Committee on Housing. Each spoke highly of the inclusive environment, which, to them, sets DC Doors apart from other youth drop-in centers and homeless shelters. Many residents who testified identified themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“As a young gay person out here homeless, I had people judging me for who I am. Once I went to Zoe’s Doors, once I started talking to some of the LGBT youths, I decided this was the perfect place I needed to be,” said Demetrius Hall, a former resident and subsequent youth advisor at DC Doors.

DC Doors also assists residents in obtaining birth certificates, social security numbers, food stamps, and supportive housing and provides food, clothing, showers, laundry, therapy, life skills classes, and job advising. Residents testified that they found jobs and housing through DC Doors.

“Many of the youths who wind up homeless have been failed by our system,” said Joseph McGee, a 22-year-old resident of DC Doors and a student at Montgomery College. “We need more places like DC Doors.”

Editor’s note: Some quotes from the residents of DC Doors have been translated from Spanish.

Encampments, continued

While Tavoncia asserted she had not been given enough notice of the clearing, Weldon argued there had been sufficient prior notice, given the signage posted and outreach from Community Connections. “It has been permanent that this space must be clear since last year,” Weldon told Street Sense. D.C. initially closed the encampment in April 2023.

According to DMHHS’s encampments website, the encampment was closed due to fire hazards, and Weldon said that an “explosion” had taken place in the area the prior year. Tavoncia said a previous resident of the encampment had been cooking in their tent and accidentally set the tent on fire. She assured Street Sense she had not been involved in the incident.

At its peak, the encampment had around 13 tents, Tavoncia said. She came back to the area six months after the last closure, and told Street Sense that she sleeps there every night.

“They didn’t give me no housing,” she said. “They’re fucking with a homeless pregnant person for no reason.”

More encampment updates

Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of a biweekly column “Encampment Updates.” Each edition, a Street Sense journalist will write about past and upcoming encampment clearings and closures in D.C. The government’s policies and schedule can be found at: dmhhs.dc.gov/page/encampments.

DMHHS fully or partially cleared three other encampments during the weeks of April 8 and April 15.

On April 10, DMHHS conducted a “full clean up” of an encampment at the corner of 9th and T St. NE at 10 a.m. DMHHS disposed of many of the items at the encampment, including a suitcase and wooden structures that were being used as tables. However, the city left several large items intact, including a tent, some chairs, and a plastic cooler.

It is unclear whether the resident of the encampment was present at the time of the clearing. No one was outside the tent, nor responded to repeated greetings or requests for comment.

The following day, DMHHS closed another encampment, this one under a bridge at the corner of Minnesota Ave. and Benning Rd. NE. The resident was not present during the closure, but arrived at the scene after to speak with DMHHS.

DMHHS closed this encampment at least in part due to a fire hazard, according to the D.C. government’s encampments website. Next to a pile of items, black soot on the brick walls of the underpass indicated someone had recently started a fire.

The entire encampment was under a bridge, away from any sidewalks or roads. Before the clearing began on April 11, the resident had already organized many of the items into suitcases. DMHHS officials looked through the suitcases, and put them, including the clothes, shoes, and laptop inside, into garbage bags, which they held in a DMHHS-owned minivan to be stored for pickup.

Other items, however, were disposed of — including blankets, a lawn chair, clothes, a metal crate, a tote bag, laundry detergent, and a hat bearing the logo of the fast food chain Wendy’s. The person who had been living at the encampment works at the Wendy’s in Union Station, where he was when the clearing began, according to an outreach worker from the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. The resident could not be reached for comment.

DMHHS cleared a third encampment, located at 23rd and E St. NW in Foggy Bottom, on April 18 at 10 a.m. Upcoming encampment

A classroom in DC Doors where residents can learn life skills. Photo by Andrea Ho

Housing advocates rally at the Supreme Court against the criminalization of homelessness

ANDREA HO, MARGARET HARTIGAN, AND NORA SCULLY Editorial Interns

n the morning of April 22, hundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court to protest the criminalization of homelessness, while justices heard oral arguments in a landmark case that could have staggering implications for the future of homelessness policy in the country.

The rally, titled “Housing not Handcuffs,” was organized by the National Homelessness Law Center and the National Coalition for the Homeless and co-sponsored by dozens of other local and national organizations.

Simultaneously, inside the building, the Supreme Court heard the oral arguments for Johnson v. Grants Pass. The hearing aimed to assess if enforcing laws against sleeping outside, when there is no other available shelter, constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment.” Should the Supreme Court rule against Johnson, unhoused people across the country could face criminal or financial prosecution for sleeping, as well as using blankets and pillows, in public spaces.

“We should have realized a long time ago that we cannot arrest our way out of issues,” said Donald Whitehead, the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, in his speech in front of the Supreme Court. “People don’t choose to be homeless. They are forced into homelessness by a social safety net riddled with holes.”

Originally filed in 2018, Johnson v. Grants Pass started when Gloria Johnson, Debra Blake, and John Logan, all of whom were living on the streets in the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, sued the city for issuing tickets — with fines of up to $295 — to unhoused

people for sleeping in public spaces. Blake has since passed away, and Johnson and Logan are named plaintiffs in the case.

The criminalization of homelessness is a rising trend across the country, with more states passing legislation that makes it illegal for unhoused people to perform life-sustaining activities like sleeping in public spaces, despite a dearth of alternatives.

“This is based out of a small town, but it will have an impact across the world,” said Sam Hozian, the communications assistant with the National Homelessness Law Center, in an interview with Street Sense. “This is the most important case about homelessness in 40 years.”

The Supreme Court declined to hear the petition of Boise for Martin v. Boise in 2018, which set the precedent that people who are involuntarily homeless cannot be punished just for sleeping outside if they have nowhere else to go. Since 2018, the Supreme Court has shifted more conservative with the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in 2020, issuing rulings that curtailed affirmative action in college admissions and allowed states to enact more restrictive abortion bans.

“You can’t not give people housing and then arrest them for being outside,” said Rachelle Ellison, the assistant director for the People for Fairness Coalition, in an interview with Street Sense. “That is insanity.”

At the rally’s start at 8:30 a.m., protestors covered themselves in thermal blankets in solidarity with the people of Grant’s Pass, who are currently unable to sleep outdoors with blankets without risking fines.

Organizers served breakfast and led the growing crowd in chants, including “SCOTUS, now is the time, homeless is not a crime,” before speakers addressed the group.

Protesters gathered in front of the Supreme Court during oral arguments in Johnson v. Grants Pass. Photo by Nora Scully

Before the speeches, organizers and attendees wrapped themselves in thermal blankets and lay on the ground as an act of solidarity with people experiencing homelessness. Photo by Andrea Ho

“We are here to tell the truth,” said Reverend William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, in his speech at the rally. “When we don’t tell the truth about homelessness, then folks lie about people.”

Barber specifically critiqued a report, written by conservative Christopher Rufo, that claimed that homelessness can be primarily attributed to addiction and mental illness.

“[Policymakers] are trying to isolate and blame a small group of people for policy decisions that hurt more than half of America,” Barber continued. “Our economic system is addicted to greed and predatory capitalism instead of justice and compassion and a commitment to housing and a social safety net.”

Each speaker emphasized that homelessness was a systemic problem, not an individual failing, and that cities should focus on expanding housing opportunities rather than punitive measures.

“Homelessness is, and has always been, a matter of political will,” said James Durrah, Chief Communications Officer at Miriam’s Kitchen. “Not scarcity of resources, but the immoral allocation of resources. Not a lack of evidence of what works, but an overreliance on police in the absence of moral leadership.”

Homelessness does not have an equal impact on everyone, however — a fact many speakers emphasized. Black and Indigenous Americans are far more likely to experience homelessness than other groups, and one in four queer youth report experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives.

Organizations from across the country showed up in solidarity with protestors, highlighting the potential reverberation a SCOTUS decision could have on states like Tennessee, Oregon, New York, Louisiana, and Texas. Josh Spring, the executive director for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, said he traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for the “pursuit of justice.”

“We have to be clear we are here and we are together,” Spring said.

Many speakers and attendees, including Helen Cruz, are currently or were formerly experiencing homelessness. Cruz, a lifelong resident of Grants Pass, amassed more than $5,000 in fines from just sleeping in a public park during the six years that she was unhoused.

“In all of my years of being homeless, the only thing I wanted was to be heard,” Cruz said. “We are still human and it is not okay to put us in a category that we are anything else.”

Several vendors with Street Sense also attended the rally.

“This is an act of entrapment, meant to dehumanize homeless people,” said Nathaniel Piscitelli, who joined Street Sense as a temporary vendor two weeks ago. “If a millionaire were homeless, that would matter to people.”

As the rally continued, Jesse Rabinowitz, the campaign and communications director for the National Homelessness Law Center, would pause and read updates from inside the court, often to either scornful shouts of “that ain’t right” or applause.

“For a person who has no place to go, sleeping in public is kind of like breathing in public,” Justice Elena Kagan said.

Following the rally, organizers announced lunch and further programming at the Church of the Reformation.

Throughout the protest, organizers and attendees mingled, exchanging phone numbers and talking about their lives. To many, community-building was the central purpose of the rally, since the Supreme Court decision is slated to be released in June.

“I want people to know that the housing justice movement doesn’t start or end today,”

Reverend William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, spoke at the rally. Photo by Nora Scully

Street Sense vendors were among a group of advocates from People for Fairness Coalition who showed up to the rally. Photo by Andrea Ho

From left: Laura Grace, Heidi Kortright, and Adam Zufelt traveled from Pennsylvania to protest. Photo by Margaret Hartigan

How to remain calm and happy when you live amongst Trump-deranged sufferers

JEFFERY MCNEIL

As a Washington, D.C. resident, I have dealt with many pests, including rats, roaches, and bedbugs. However, the worst pests are those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, or TDS.

I believe that Trump Derangement Syndrome stems from the need for approval. If someone doesn’t agree with the opinion that he’s the devil incarnate, they are often ostracized, ridiculed, and treated like a non-person. I learned this the hard way while living in D.C., where 92% of the population voted for Joe Biden. Because I don’t support liberal causes, I am immediately labeled as bigoted, xenophobic, misogynistic, and patriarchal — and then condemned.

Those suffering from this syndrome find comfort in knowing millions of unhappy people share their sheep-like devotion to despising the former president. Their rage towards Americans who support Trump closes their eyes to the harm their contempt for society has done to their physical and mental well-being.

I avoid discussing Donald Trump to prevent heated arguments and losing friends. I’ve already lost customers and don’t want to lose any more. I should stick to bartending and talking about hot wings instead of politics.

However, they often swarm around me like flies on a hot summer day, sharing the latest schemes to arrest, take down, or prevent Trump from running for re-election. When bugs

start to irritate me, there are sprays to get rid of them, but unfortunately, there is no repellent to keep Trump detractors from incessantly bugging me about him.

I remain optimistic. But at times, I encounter individuals whose hatred for Trump has become so intense it reminds me of stumbling upon an animal with rabies. These individuals seethe with anger and foam at the mouth, leaving an indelible impression on me.

A month ago, I was at my favorite café, sipping my coffee and reading the newspaper on my laptop. Suddenly, a regular customer of Street Sense approached me and started talking about Trump. She had conspiracy theories about him, but I wasn’t interested in discussing politics. I didn’t want to be rude, but I didn’t ask for her opinion on Trump. Things took a turn for the worse when she suggested that I write a column condemning Trump or else she would stop buying from me. I was taken aback. Did she think I would lose my apartment if she didn’t give me a few dollars or didn’t buy the paper from me? Not only are people who suffer from TDS delusional, but they are also narcissistic. I felt like telling her to take her business elsewhere, but then I realized if I lost her as a customer, I would still have my coffee, newspaper, and sanity.

I am concerned about Trump’s impact on some people. I have observed highly educated individuals become wholly consumed and lose themselves at the mere mention of his name. Their very essence has been taken away. Those who

dislike Trump often await news of his potential imprisonment, much like crocodiles waiting for their next meal.

As we draw closer to the 2024 election, we are headed toward some kind of collision. I am still determining what will happen the day after the election — each side will win or lose everything, which will be unprecedented in the annals of history. Contemplating what the future holds is both exhilarating and frightening.

I have mixed feelings about Trump. Sometimes I regret the moment when he announced his candidacy for the presidency by coming down the escalator. It caused some of my customers, relatives, and friends to stop talking to me. I’ve had angry leftists come to my job demanding that I be fired. On the other hand, I am glad he did. He has exposed a world of lies and deceit like no one else has. Although this process has been painful, I believe it was necessary, and ultimately, the world will be a better place because of it.

While I respect everyone’s right to protest, I will exercise my right to dissent and call out anyone who labels me a sellout. Insults will not intimidate me, nor will they drive me to vote for Democrats. I refuse to associate with people who resort to shouting, harassing, and name-calling simply because they disagree with me.

One of the genuine greatest: Jimmy Boarman

FREDERIC JOHN

immy is arguably one of the last outdoor newspaper sellers you’ll see in D.C. Many moons ago, the city corners teemed with those who plied their “ware” — Apple Annie, “Little Match Girl,” Tin Men and Tinkers, oyster shuckers, fishmongers, and loudest and proudest of all, the “Newsies!”

JToday, save for a couple of silent rows of pink, blue, and lime-green food and t-shirt trucks bunched around the National Mall, the roistering boisterous hawkers are no more.

In his own words

Except at the southwest corner of Dumbarton and Wisoncon for a few hours most every Sunday — that’s where you’ll find James “Jimmy” Boarman with his precious stacks of Washington Posts and New York Times. “Been at this spot more than a quarter century. And March 27, 1925, is my birthdate. Born in D.C., the nation’s capital, grew up on the streets of the city. And anybody’ll tell ya. They all want to buy from Jimmy! I’m the one.”

A son of D-Day

Jimmy is proud of his Second World War service. “U.S. Army, yes sir, Army all the way.” When Jimmy heard FDR on his little tube radio proclaiming Dec. 7, 1941, as “a day which shall live in infamy,” the young Irish American knew he had to serve his homeland.

“June 6, 1944, yes sir. We landed on Normandy Beach, D-Day! I’ll never forget. Lost some shipboard buddies, too. But I made it back, and resumed selling the Washington Post. Picked up a good rhythm after the war!”

As I listen to this 99-year-old “wise elder” reminisce, I glance around the intersection, beneath the arched roofed wood and iron canopy of the old building.

Opposite its corner brick piers sits the immense black steel cassion stenciled with the Post’s classic gothic loco. Only Jimmy and his beloved niece hold the key to that secret padlock.

Though Jimmy’s niece has been sidelined with ailments, he still looks after her and makes sure she joins in with paper sales when she’s able.

“I was married, then divorced, and even in my 70s I had some lovely lady friends. They all knew me.”

And through Mr. Boarman, I made rich acquaintanceships with the ancient artistry of old-time newsies! George the Greek, Wild Jack of the Commerce Steps, and the excitable Jimmy

Jeffrey McNeil is an artist/vendor with Street Sense Media.

Jimmy Boarman. Photo by Frederic John

Jimmy’s paper sales box. Photo by Frederic John

Writing my thoughts (OPPRESSION) part two...

INVISIBLE PROPHET

Content warning: This article references mental illness and suicide.

The Council of the District of Columbia introduced a new bill about involuntary commitment: B25-0692 - The Enhancing Mental Health Crisis Support and Hospitalization Amendment Act of 2024.

As for the bill guidelines, I acknowledge the importance of comparing this to the Jim Crow laws, that is, martial law. As a reader, if you do not know what martial law is, here’s a short explanation: “Our civil liberties go out the window.”

Jim Crow laws were based on colorism and hate, and the involuntary commitment bill is the same. I had a conversation with another vendor, and to my surprise, her heart felt the same about this crazy bill. It makes it easier to involuntarily commit people, and I think in practice it will mean that if someone calls in a favor, you’re in an argument, someone dislikes you, you piss someone off, or someone is angry at you, you can be picked up off the streets. A lot of these bills or laws against humanity do more harm than good.

Here’s part of what the bill would do:

“Amendment 1: Broaden the pool of authorized professionals: The bill proposes broadening the pool of qualified healthcare professionals authorized to initiate involuntary commitment processes, incorporating psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners who are recognized for their expertise in mental health assessments.

Amendment 2: Extend the detention time for emergency observation: The bill proposes extending the time limit for continued detention for emergency observation and diagnosis from seven to 15 days. This adjustment provides healthcare professionals with a more extended period to conduct thorough observations and diagnostics. It ensures a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s mental health condition and allows additional time for treatment. The goal is to ideally avoid involuntary commitment and instead connect individuals to inpatient and outpatient mental health resources and supports.

Amendment 7: Allow warrants to be issued for noncompliance: The bill would clarify that courts can allow warrants to be issued and executed due to a person’s failure to appear for court hearings or comply with treatment. This empowers the legal system with additional mechanisms to ensure individuals attend scheduled hearings and adhere to necessary treatments, including those who may abscond from a facility. “

Think about it...

Oppression is no longer about racism, or the fact of mental illness, homelessness, God, or others; It’s about controlling our every being of self.

The trauma I live with was created by my parents, their parents, and intergenerational teachings inherited. As of today, Jim Crow laws have been reintroduced in southern states in 2023. That is martial law. An opposition would say I am crazy for writing something like this: “How dare she? Who does she think she is?” I am someone who needs to stand against the oppression of self. I’m holding my heart together with glue.

Can you live with the idea of someone you truly love being pulled away from you without hesitation for standing against government rule? Do you have the “stones,” that is, the courage, to go up against a force suggesting we as humanity do not need free will? I do not have anyone to fight for me or protect me from the atrocities of malicious intent against my heart.

My experience has been that some government officials have tried to commit me for the wrong reasons. Here in the District of Columbia, they made an unjustified application for emergency hospitalization, better known as an FD-12, back in December.

When humans commit suicide, I ask that people think about what else is going on in their lives that other unstable people are creating for them. The evil people who hurt me with malicious intent are trying to force me into suicide. The point is bills like this do not help anyone because the government does not care about someone’s abusive ways against another human being.

Mother’s Day

TONYA WILLIAMS

Artist/Vendor

Mother’s Day is like waking up and being thankful. I am so thankful for my mother. She is 87 years old. Myself and my family take care of her, and I love that because she took care of us. Now it’s our turn to take care of her.

Always love your mother no matter what. Respect, love, protect, obey, honor, cherish, and listen to her. Your mother will never tell you wrong, she will try to get you ready for the future. Always love your mother.

Let’s not forget about the mothers in heaven. Happy Mother’s Day to them also, blessings be with them. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.

“I'll always love my mama

She's my favorite girl” - The Intruders

As a societal norm, we are taught to believe and accept abusive behavior. That enables someone to be malicious to the voiceless. Why is the abuse one-sided and stating humans who live with trauma are the problem? Why are parents, grandparents, and others not held accountable because we don’t need to live their lives?

I’m considered unstable because I’m “combative” and need to turn a blind eye to societal norms. I am not combative. I fight for my spirit to stay alive against narcissistic behavior, people who want to control humanity, and people who do not obey the polarity of their unhealthy patterns.

Sharing my story is important for those who are voiceless. There is an assumption that I am fearless and courageous, I am not. I set healthy boundaries using Dialectical Behavior Skills (emotional regulation) and no one will rule my life according to their narrative. What I have written should have been a topic for discussion before this bill was introduced.

No one should be persecuted for their heart, or ability to lift their spirit and protect themselves against abusive people who are in denial and not taking accountability for their behavior. I have experienced being involuntarily committed against my will twice in my life. Why is it right for someone to have so much “power” over one person’s spirit who’s trying to be free from reliving traumatic experiences? We as a collective are being controlled and unable to express our voices. This bill does not care if someone is running from a domestic violence situation, trafficking, family, gang life, or abuse of any sort. If you are a Street Sense reader and have experience of being oppressed by family, work, or others, please stand up for the voiceless who do not have anyone to protect them, including myself. Advocate for me, for the homeless, mental health community, disability community, and all as a collective addressing the importance of life. Teach me how to continue to fight for my spirit to be alive and free from reliving trauma. Education and truth about narratives regarding suicide. Think about that…

Impact of a hater’s network…

LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

Finally watching “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Wow, that dude killed himself after only an interview and he was like that’s the cap to that! Perhaps realizing his impact on Black history or maybe he just chalked himself up as just too damn confused to make a proper stance about anything else in life and just canceled himself. Breonna movie next? That’s basically what that movie was all about, shedding light on that informant’s actions and behaviors and their impact on history. Perhaps he was trying to feed his family but that’s not how they portrayed him, as a CIA standout and covert purposely poisoning and pillaging a worthy cause from within by sabotage. He was a car thief already living dangerously and recklessly playing that game which already included that sort of stereotype that goes with selling out and oppressing your own worthy cause. Purpose served and he was out, perhaps? It was like Kobe Bryant’s grand exit off into the next stage, but this one was just the opposite, like maybe a fallen angel, because Kobe made everyone feel great about life!

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

Black history dream

JOSIE BROWN

Artist/Vendor

Happy Poetry Month!

My tented angels

LATICIA BROCK

Artist/Vendor

To dream is to live something which is to come

To dream is to bring freedom and liberty to all

To dream is dignity at last

To dream is to know you have been free

No matter what life tends to bring the past to a dream

Until the dream gives you the freedom to live finally at last

Home of love

DEGNON DOVONOU

Artist/Vendor

Open your window

And listen to my flow

Come to the home of love

Feel the beautiful glow of Thousands of stars in the sky

Enjoy the quietness of the night

Night gives peaceful advice

Take the grateful device

Show me always the love I deserve

To express your heart to mine

I can’t feel dizzy to that wine

The red, pink, and green wine

Of love that expresses the beauty of your heart

Your heart feels like home

That gives me a dope

Believe in me, not be leaving me

Sometimes I know how to open

The smile of your heart as an oven

Moon and light make moonlight

Sun and light make sunlight

If you’re sun and me the shine, we both Are the sunshine

Open your window and listen to my flow

Alone

JACQUELINE TURNER

Artist/Vendor

Still and quiet in the midst of night, eyes searching for light. Comfortable in your domain but still looking for peace.

You have all the things you need to sustain your life.

But your mind thinks of other places and things.

In the hive of your thoughts, it dawns on you. You are all by yourself.

To sit and see your friends OD every day and keeping Narcan always available…

I wish I could save ‘em all but I can’t question the Creator it’s totally his call. I still wish I could do more because here it’s every day survival. I was blown away when my brother Kevin Davis got set on fire. Fortunately, he went to Medstar’s Washington Hospital Center, which has the best burn unit in the city. It’s hard in the tents to maintain my homeless community when it’s affected by bed bugs and some members commit suicide, overdosing on fentanyl. And let’s remember much of D.C. still suffers from AIDS and HIV which means those people die without dignity. But I still can smile when I look at my tented angels.

Ain’t perfectnobody

GRETA CHRISTIAN Artist/Vendor

No one in the world is perfect

But Jesus

This song about perfect

Ain’t perfect like you

When you sing a song

You’re not perfect

Your life is not perfect

Imagine if you were perfect

What you would do if you were perfect

If the whole world was perfect

We wouldn’t be here today

You know how that goes

People try to be perfect, But they’re not going to be happy

Lonely-hearted prince

MAURICE CARTER

Artist/Vendor

Dragged in royalty

At the fingers of a prince

My love is pure

My love is gold

I’ve told myself

I can never be sold

McPherson Square, reclassified homeless

CHRIS COLE Artist/Vendor

Dusk. Where the voice of the skitzo's are heard; the squirrels don't roam or nest here, neither do the birds.

I used to rest there.

Spend my nights coveting and covering what was left of my remaining hair.

I claimed the left bench number two, right next to Daniel the Lion. He made me feel safe, and his eyes are blue.

That was before they EVICTED the homeless, told us to leave.

DO NOT CAMP.

Do not breathe, do not dwell,

DO NOT LIVE.

Well, I went there last night, and I was shocked and amazed! It seems the homeless have LIVED to see another day.

A day in the park, another cold, stark, bright night. Dark.

We are back again.

Back in McPherson; ParkED!

Freedom walk

HENRIESSE ROBERTS Artist/Vendor

The Freedom Walk, an official event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, was held on Saturday, April 6.

I stopped by at the end of the event, and picked up literature and some swag after making a small donation. After discussing with the organizers, I was to return and capture photos of the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism during World War II. It is located on Lousiana Ave., intersecting at New Jersey St. and D St. NW. Leave Union Starion, go to the Capitol, and turn right on Lousianna Ave. The memorial is on the right, so look to see it or you may miss it.

Marc’s life

MARC GRIER Artist/Vendor

I recently got started two years ago. I was in the homeless shelter because of unseen things that happened to me. First, my wife and I got a divorce. Second, my truck was stolen, I spent $20,000 on it and it was never found. And I had to find another way. I had a recent operation on my spine. I was in surgery for six hours, preparing my spine. They had to shave down the bone and put in four screws and a plate. That was a very serious operation, and I went to therapy for three and a half months.

After that, I came back to the shelter, and all my clothes were gone. That was a heartbreak. The few clothes that I had were special, I saved them because they fit me — it’s hard to find a size 14 shoe like I wear. But life moves on. I had to find me a house, a place to stay. Getting the run-around, changing case managers, and going to different places. After two years, I was blessed with a place. And it's been a joy to wake up by yourself. At the shelter, I never woke up by myself. It was people waking up at 5:30, people playing their music, people who don’t agree with you or like you for a certain reason. I had one guy slam a pole over my head and put a hole in the wall, for what reason I don't know, he said I was dirty or messy. But the outcome of that was he had to leave.

That's a little bit of my life story.

Enough is Enough

DONTÉ TURNER

Artist/Vendor

Another level

LADY SASHA Artist/Vendor

I just want to say that I enjoy writing. Doing theatre workshops and singing has helped me so much, like doing the play while I was in limbo or through whatever challenges I experienced. I am very thankful for Street Sense Media's platform through all my phases of life.

Word games

DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

The word “due” makes me think about the word “sue.”

The word “high” means to me “goodbye.”

The word “one” makes me want to have some “fun!”

The word “time” makes me say “Sybil is fine.”

The word “vacation” makes me think about “publication.”

The word “tease” rhymes with the word “please.”

Prayers for me and others out on the battlefield

JEANETTE RICHARDSON Artist/Vendor

Protect me, Lord God, from all hurt and danger. I do not hide your righteousness and your saving help. O Lord my God; I cried unto thee, and thou hear my cry. O, Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the darkness; thou has kept me alive, that I should not be ashamed about my life of low-income when I was a good worker and in a church. Now I learn to pray at home to Almighty God, my Lord of Lords.

Psalm 30:4: “Sing unto the Lord, O yes Saints of his and give thanks as the remembrances of his holiness, lord, may your love and faithfulness always protect me.” Amen.

I gotta give a shoutout to Floyd Mayweather’s The Money Team for building a gym that offers help to people who are in an abusive relationship or abusive situation. Abusive situations towards women, privately and openly, are very common and multiply on a daily basis. The majority of the world claims they care about the situation, and are in a position where they can help, but their promises to help don’t equal up with their actions. Not The Money Team! Their actions match their work and their work matches their actions.

I had an ex come to visit me because she is in an abusive situation with her child, and she doesn’t know how to protect herself or him. The people who are supposed to help her are the ones who are allowing this thing to continue to happen, and she doesn’t know who to turn to. I called the police and they were ready to arrest me for contacting them for her. They told me because I’m on probation I’m not supposed to contact them. So because I have schedules to attend to and I’m not around her 24/7, I decided to stop by the Mayweather Boxing Fitness gym. I spoke to a trainer about the situation after she confirmed that it was ok, and saw if they had a discount for people in her situation. He told me that if this thing is happening, and true they’ll give her and I free training. We just had to fill out some forms and voila, two weeks later we would start our class.

I respect programs like this because we need to help our women learn how to defend themselves against cowards who are comfortable unleashing this type of sin on them. Everything has a domino effect, which means whatever decision you make, wrong or right, there are things that come behind them. With wrong decisions, the domino effect is consequences, with right decisions come rewards and blessings. There are abused women (and men) who are tired of cowardly men and women putting their hands on them and a program like this is exactly what they need. If the police don’t care, your politicians don’t care, and also your own family doesn’t care, what the hell else does a being have to lose? I’ve been abused as a child and trust me it ain’t easy when the people that’s supposed to love you inflict hate on you. You wanna know the worst part? When the abusive person learns how to inflict that same behavior the way it was given to them. That’s not good. I was close to being that person but the Lord allowed me to meet men throughout my life and taught me how to be a man and not a coward.

I commend The Money Team for sharing their concerns through their actions and not just talk. If only the world were full of people like this. Thanks, TMT.

The memorial. Photo by Henriesse Roberts

FUN & GAMES

Strain, No Gain

Across

1. Cartoonist Charles who created the characters Morticia, Pugsley and Uncle Fester

7. The Bruins of the new Big Ten 11. Nudge into action, as one’s memory

14. U.S. D.O.T.’s safe skies branch (2 wds.) (3,3) (incls. abbr.)

15. Slide instrument

17. Must-have item in any respectable mancave (4 wds.) (4,6,2,3) (incls. an abbr.)

19. Pottery fragment

20. Some political convention-goers (abbr.) (careful here...)

21. Blathering gatherings or schmoozedowns, say (2 wds.) (3,8) (BOSSES GAINS anagram)

27. Hawaiian dish with a “two-finger...” version

28. In need of some scratch?

29. Jazz fan, most likely

31. Chalupa alternative

32. Recurring theme throughout a musical or literary work (IF I LET TOM anagram) (Ger. deriv.)

36. String-bending vibrato-producing device often attached to electric guitars, informally (2 wds.) (6.3)

38. Makes a new better-sound-quality version of an original recording (STREAMERS anagram)

40. Pro fighter?

44. Gets to the point?

45. What drops on Chicken Little’s noggin

46. Some printers, for short (abbr./ initialism)

47. Mass produced by Henry Ford in 1919, it was the first auto with an electric starter and demountable tire rims (3 wds.) (5,1,5)

52. Falco of “The Sopranos”

54. Word that may follow OSHA or precede Orange

55. Balanced overall strength and fitness regimen hinted at by the words formed by the circled letters (3 wds.) (4,4,7)

62. Caught some Z’s (3 wds.) (4,1,3)

63. Like some leather garments, boots, wallets, pouches, etc.. with ornate carved designs

64. Common ID

65. Point to the right

66. College application parts

Down

1. Fed. anti-moonshine org. (abbr./ initialism)

2. UPS and FedEx alternative (abbr./ initialism)

3. Fed narc’s org.(abbr./initialism)

4. Astern

5. Actors Raymond or Ilona

6. Goldman ___ (brokerage)

7. Fetal development sites (Lat. pl.)

8. Belief

9. Oldtime actor Chaney of horror films

10. Invoice abbr.

11. Holy Roman Emperor, 1705-1711 (2 wds.) (6,1) (incls Rom. num.)

12. Amount of Wonder Bread containing 15 slices and 2 crusts (2 wds.) (3,4)

13. Is admitted (to), as a prestigious college (2 wds.) (4,2)

16. Old underwear brand letters that are an initialism of its founders’ last names

18. Dorm overseers, for short (abbr./ initialism)

21. “Scram!”

22. Words before distance or discount (2,1)

23. Covertly add to an email (abbr./ initialism)

24. Missourian’s demand (2 wds.) (4,2)

25. Deadens

26. Ancient colonnade (OATS anagram)

30. Vanished without ____ (left no tracks whatever) (2 wds.) (1,5)

32. Soccer coach Ted, in a hit cable TV show 33. 911 responder (abbr./initialism)

34. “___ Mine” (Beatles tune) (2 wds.) (1,2)

35. Norse war god

37. Do damage to

38. Musical pairs like Outkast or Mobb Depp (2 wds,) (3,4) (RAD OPUS)

39. Delta follower in the Greek alphabet (ONE SLIP anagram)

41. Give the go-ahead using just your head

42. “La la” preceder

43. What a keeper may keep

44. Though never arrested or charged, MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson was ‘guilty’ of 1,406 of them in his career

45. Texas MLBers seen in “No slowpokes, they boast a very fast roster”

48. Pops, in baby talk

49. “Little ____” (title dancer of a 1961 hit song who “.. came out struttin’ wearin’ nuthin’ but a button and a bow-ooh-oh-oohoh...”

50. Wallace who wrote “Ben-Hur”

51. U.S. gov’t.-backed security, briefly (1-4)

53. Antlered animal

56. Modern term of endearment

57. “Put ___ Happy Face” (2 wds,) (2,1)

58. Bout enders, for short (abbr./initialism)

59. Suffix with pay or schnozz

60. 180° turn, slangily

61. QBs’ goals (abbr.)

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

ANDRE BRINSON

Artist/Vendor

This $1 increase is great. I am sure our customers will have no problem paying $3 for our wonderful Street Sense paper that reports on real events and real situations. We are the best paper in D.C.! So please keep supporting Street Sense as we keep trying to end homelessness in our city. Thank God for all our customers with open hearts and open minds.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Academy of Hope Public Charter School

202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Pl. NE

202-373-0246 // 421 Alabama Ave. SE aohdc.org

Bread for the City 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 1700 Marion Barry Ave., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Marion Barry Ave., SE calvaryservices.org

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

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

Charlie’s Place // 202-929-0100 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org

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

Church of the Pilgrims // 202-387-6612 2201 P St., NW (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 4 Atlantic St., NW 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 North Capitol St., NW fathermckennacenter.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277

(home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW 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

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9096 1526 Pennslyvania Ave., SE jobshavepriority.org

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Rd, 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 // 202-939-2076 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-363-4900 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

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

Unity Health Care unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699

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, 850 Delaware Ave., SW, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 1151 Bladensburg Rd., NE, 4515 Edson Pl., NE

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 1525 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 1201 Sycamore Dr., SE whitman-walker.org

Woodley House // 202-830-3508 2711 Connecticut Ave., NW

CVS // Washington, D.C.

Full time

Providing customer service by anticipating customer needs, performing cashier duties such as handling cash, checks and credit card transactions, and maintaining the sales floor by restocking shelves, checking in vendors, updating pricing information and completing inventory management tasks as directed by store manager.

REQUIRED: High school diploma or GED. Able to lift up to 35 lbs.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/cvsassociateDC

Front End Employee

Safeway // 322 40th St. NE

Part time

Work the front-end as a courtesy clerk, customer service associate, or cashier.

REQUIRED: N/A

APPLY: tinyurl.com/SafewayFrontendDC

Staff for Washington, D.C. Conference 6/25-6/27

Kinetic Events Staffing // Washington, D.C.

Part time

Job duties include registration, room monitoring, badge scanning, directing/ greeting attendees, info desk, and general event support. Possibility to be booked for other events in staffing network.

REQUIRED: N/A

APPLY: tinyurl.com/Kineticeventstaffing

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

DC Medicaid sends renewal info by mail. Check your mail and renew. Don’t risk losing your coverage.

3 Update your contact information and check or renew your coverage at districtdirect.dc.gov.

3 Fill out the forms anyway. Even if you’re not eligible, your kids may be.

If you have questions, call us at 202-727-5355.

AKINDELE AKEREJAH Artist/Vendor