12 11 2019

VOL. 17 IssUe 3

$2

DeC. 11 - 23, 2019

Real Stories

Real People

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Real Change

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is seeking a new kind of justice

AlSo in thiS edition:

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2 // st reet sens e me di a / / de C. 11 - de C. 23, 2019

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The Cover

The Street Sense Media Story, #MoreThanANewspaper

rep. ayanna Pressley (d-mass): “[the criminal justice system] is xenophobic and racist, and just tinkering at the edges with legislative reforms is not going to be enough.

We need to do something bold and transformative.”

originally founded as a street newspaper in 2003, street sense media has evolved into a multimedia center using a range of creative platforms to spotlight solutions to homelessness and empower people in need. the men and women who work with us do much more than sell this paper: They use film, photography, theatre, illustration, and more to share their stories with our community. our media channels elevate voices, our newspaper vendor and digital marketing programs provide economic independence. and our in-house case-management services move people forward along the path toward permanent supportive housing.

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EVENTS

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News In brief Income

16,500 DC residents will lose access to food stamps under Trump Administration

Homeless Memorial Vigil 2019 On Thursday, Dec. 19, The People For Fairness Coalition will host the Seventh Annual Overnight Homeless Vigil to remember those who we lost and to rally for an end to homelessness. INFO: tinyurl.com/2019HMV Speakers & Procession Thursday, Dec. 19 5:00 pm — Luther Place Church (1226 Vermont Ave NW) *Followed by processional to Freedom Plaza

Overnight Vigil Dec. 19 - Dec. 20 7:00 pm – 11:00AM Freedom Plaza (Across the street from the Wilson Building: 1350 Penn. Ave NW)

Advocacy Training and Council Walk-arounds Friday, Dec. 20 9 – 11 am Wilson Building 1350 Penn Ave. NW

Memorial Service Friday, Dec. 20 12 pm New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (1313 New York Ave NW) * Followed by lunch

Friday, Dec. 13

updates online at ich.dc.gov

WednesDay, dec. 18

Community Family Life Services Holiday and HIV Education Party

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

Lessons and Carols

12 pm - 3 pm // 305 E Street, NW Community Family Life Services Launch of the CFLS Early Intervention Services HI-V approach for justice-involved women. Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray as keynote. Food, live DJ, giveaways, games, & safe sex demonstrations.

RSVP: Shena McFadden, 202-864-6234 or smcfadden@cflsdc.org.

Youth Committee Dec. 12, 10 am // 441 4th Street NW Room 1114 Strategic Planning Committee Dec. 18, 3 pm // TBD * Likely 441 4th Street NW ***List features only committee meetings. For issue-focused working group, contact ich.info@dc.gov.

7 pm St. Aloyisus Church 900 North Capital St. NW Get into the Christmas spirit with live music and singing featuring the MCKenna Center Singers and The Least of These Gospel Choir from Holy Redeemer Church.

INFO: Phone: 202-842-1112 or info@fathermckennacenter.org

Submit your event for publication by emailing editor@streetsensemedia.org

Audience exchange Chelsea Cirruzzo @ChelseaCirruzzo

Natalie Jackson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a “final rule” on Dec. 5 that will tighten work requirements related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as food stamps. The rule affects “able-bodied people without dependents.” WAMU reported that 688,000 poor and low-income people across the country fall into this category. While those people could often have a three-month maximum use of SNAP waived by their state government, the new rule is expected to make it harder for states to receive and pass on those waivers.“Let’s be clear: Hunger does not resolve barriers to employment.

Hunger does not solve inequality. Hunger does not solve poverty,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press release responding to the rule. The new rule is expected to go into effect in April.

Affordable housing

Nonprofit to convert Adams Morgan church into ‘Justice Housing’ King Emmanuel Baptist Church, located at 1721 Kalorama Rd. NW, was recognized for “Best Church Sign Board” in Washington City Paper’s 2018 “Best of D.C.” issue.

Photo by Eric FAlquero

Nonprofit housing developer Jubilee Housing purchased the King Emmanuel Baptist Church on Dec. 6 for $3.6 million, according to the Washington Business Journal. Located at 1721 Kalorama Road NW, the church is on the same block as several other properties purchased by Jubilee’s “Justice Housing” fund. President and CEO Jim Knight told the Journal, “It was really intentional on our part to be in Adams Morgan so that people who need this level of affordability have access to grocery stores and good-paying jobs and other services.” The organization plans to turn the church into deeply affordable housing for 20 returning citizens.

Briefs written by Eric Falquero from previously published sources. ericf@streetsensemedia.org.

@nataliemj10

I’m at a community meeting by @streetsensedc on the NoMa encampments. A panel ft. both housed and unhoused NoMa residents are giving their perspectives.

Putting in a plug for @streetsensedc since I picked it up today and reading it now. It’s a really cool program to support homeless/formerly homeless DC residents who write for and sell the papers.

7:07 PM - 5 dec 2019

8:30 PM - 8 DEC 2019

Follow more headlines at StreetSenseMedia.org/news

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News

dc has only 46 medical respite beds for homeless individuals. Amerihealth caritas dc plans to change that.

By Bonnie BiShoP Editorial Intern

T

here is a shortage of medical respite beds in shelters across the District — beds reserved for homeless people determined to be in need of “limited-time acute and post-acute 24-hour residential care.” The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) says on its website such beds are for “persons experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets but are not ill enough to be in a hospital.”

Medical respite operates as if a person is home with nursing care a couple days a week, as described by Dr. Catherine Crosland of Unity Health Care at a Dec. 5 meeting of the Emergency Response and Shelter Outreach Committee of the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness. This differs from both inpatient care and 24/7 home nursing care.

Not every jurisdiction in the D.C. Metro region has beds for people who are discharged from the hospital and don’t have their own place to rest and recover, according to the most recent count of people experiencing homelessness. Venues that do provide such care struggle with insufficient resources to meet the need. The ERSO Committee has been working on ways to increase the number of medical respite beds for more than a year — a goal outlined in the city’s strategic plan to end homelessness.

After medical treatment, individuals may be left stranded, without access to a healthy environment for the amount of time needed to recover. There are presently only 46 medical respite beds in the District, 34 for men at Christ House and 12 for women at the Patricia Handy Place for Women, according to a fact sheet published in October by AmeriHealth Caritas. This number includes three more beds than were operated at Christ House in 2015. All the respite beds are operated by the nonprofit Unity Health Care. Each bed costs approximately $85 per day or $30,754 annually to manage, according to ICH data.

NHCHC records note an additional eight

Medical respite beds allow for individuals to recover from medical care. Photo by Julie Viken / Pexels

respite beds provided by Joseph’s House, a nonprofit focused on nursing and support services specifically for homeless men and women with advanced HIV disease or terminal cancer.

Now, AmeriHealth Caritas D.C., through a strategic partnership with Volunteers of America - Chesapeake, is investing to provide six new respite care facilities in under two years, according to the fact sheet.

Unity Health Care and Pathways to Housing D.C. will also be part of the program, dubbed Hope Has A Home.

Until recently, Christ House has been the flag-bearer for providing respite care to the District’s homeless community. The nonprofit, founded by some of the same people that founded Unity Health Care, has provided medical and recovery services and holistic care in Ward 1 since the 1980s. It is a strong example of how the respite bed issue can be addressed successfully. Christ House demonstrates the positive impact that providing medical respite beds has on individuals in need.

Nearly 80 medical respite programs — referred to as recuperative care in some regions — are available in 29 states and the District, according to the NHCHC, which developed the first ever standards for such programs in 2016. As temperatures drop during hypothermia season, which started on Nov. 1, the need for more respite care capacity remains urgent.

AmeriHealth Caritas DC partnered with the investment firm Quantified Ventures to assess the District’s medical respite needs. The program fact sheet listed three broad takeaways: 1. There is a significant shortage in respite capacity overall, and particularly for certain populations (e.g., women) and settings (e.g., non-shelter) and in ways that support trauma-informed care; 2. Given the high prevalence of substance use and other behavioral health issues among individuals experiencing homelessness in D.C., there is a significant need for low-barrier respite

700,00 D.C. POPULATION

10,000

INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

34

MEDICAL RESPITE BEDS FOR MEN

12

MEDICAL RESPITE BEDS FOR WOMEN

There was no equivalent place for a woman to go who was too sick to be on the street.

DR. CATHERINE CROSLAND Executive Director of Homeless Outreach Development, Unity Health Care 2018 HomeLess Persons memoriaL daY PHoto BY Ken martin

facilities offering a harm-reduction approach to care; 3. The lack of adequate supportive/ affordable housing in D.C. will persist as a challenge to optimizing program impact on underlying chronic illness (including mental health and substance use disorder issues). As a result, a longer allowable length of stay in respite care is likely to have a more profound and durable impact.

According to the AmeriHealth fact sheet, “This lack of a safe and supported environment for healing post hospital discharge represents a serious, persistent, and expensive challenge that many in the District want and need to address.”

One month before AmeriHealth Caritas D.C. announced their plan to invest heavily in medical respite for homeless Washingtonians, the District government released regulations regarding implementation for amendments to the Homeless Services Reform Act that were passed in 2017. The law, first passed in 2005, governs the responsibilities of organizations and agencies that provide homeless services, as well as the rights of the people who receive them.

Many pieces of the 2017 amendment involved “modernizing” the law, including defining services like medical respite that had not been widely adopted in 2005. However, some elements of the amendment have caused concern to community members and their advocates, who worry the law will make homeless services more difficult to access.

In meetings to develop the amendment there were many conversations about moving people through respite care efficiently. As Street Sense Media reported in 2017, the amendment outlines a clear and efficient process to terminate an individual’s medical respite services and make that person exempt from a standard appeal process, provided a medical professional certifies that the person is no longer in need of that level of care.

streetsensemedia.org

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US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has a bold vision for criminal justice reform, and it calls for decriminalising poverty and homelessness

By Adam Sennott Real Change, Seattle // Street Roots, Portland

A

yanna Pressley remembers running for reelection to the Boston City Council in 2011 when a constituent asked her what she was going to do about the homeless people who were sleeping on park benches.

“They used some other term that was very derogatory,” Pressley recalled. “They said, ‘What is your plan to make our parks safe?’”

Pressley responded that her plan was “to end homelessness.”

Now a U.S. congresswoman, Pressley said she has a plan that will not only help accomplish that but will also transform the criminal justice and legal system that she said perpetuates homelessness.

Earlier this month, Pressley, a freshman representative from Massachusetts, unveiled a resolution titled The People’s Justice Guarantee, which “lays out a bold, new vision for justice in the American criminal legal system,” according to a press release from her office. The plan’s priorities include eliminating life sentences without parole; abolishing the death penalty, private prisons and solitary confinement; and decriminalizing sex work and other low-level offenses “which are byproducts of poverty, homelessness, discrimination and/or addiction.” The plan is based on five principles: shared power, freedom, equality, safety and dignity.

Pressley said that the status quo of the current criminal legal system is “fundamentally flawed” and that a new vision is needed.

“It is xenophobic and racist, and just tinkering at the edges with legislative reforms is not going to be enough,” Pressley said. “We need to do something bold and transformative.”

She said that by prioritizing decarceration, it is possible to cut the prison population by 80 per cent or more. In order to accomplish this goal, Pressley said, we need to stop punishing poor people for being poor.

“In order to reduce our incarcerated population by the 80 per cent plus that we believe is possible, it means that we need to decriminalize poverty, and that means decriminalizing those that are experiencing homelessness,” Pressley said. “That means decriminalizing fare evasion.

“There are so many people experiencing homelessness who do evade fares (on) public transit just to get to (a) shelter before curfew or to try to be gainfully employed,” Pressley said. “And they just don’t have the money, and they should not be arrested and experience punitive consequences simply for trying to get on a better path.”

Another key aspect to her plan, Pressley said, is access to housing.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) listens as David Marcus, CEO of Facebook’s Calibra, testifies to the House Financial Services Committee hearing on “Examining Facebook’s Proposed Cryptocurrency and Its Impact on Consumers, Investors, and the American Financial System” on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 17, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

“The People’s Justice Guarantee will invest $1 trillion in the modernization and expansion of social housing stock throughout the country,” Pressley said. “It guarantees housing for survivors of crime, and, again, it decriminalizes homelessness, which we know eliminates reincarceration for individuals who failed to secure housing.”

And many who are released from prison do fail to secure housing, Pressley said.

“In Massachusetts, I think at one point, 30 per cent of those being released from correctional facilities were being released directly to shelter,” Pressley said. “That is not a recipe to support formerly incarcerated men and women in getting on a pathway to gainful employment (and) self-sufficiency.

“In fact, housing is such a critical determinant … that when people don’t have that we know that it contributes to recidivism,” Pressley said.

“So it is really disingenuous to say, ‘OK, now you’ve received maybe some training behind the wall … and then to say, ‘Now go into the world and make a legitimate contribution and make your best contribution when people are experiencing housing discrimination, employment discrimination, and again many are being released directly to shelter.”

Too often people will see those experiencing homelessness as the “other” and will marginalize them instead of seeing them as members of the community, Pressley said.

“I think that’s often because most people are disconnected from their own reality, which is that many people are a life disruption away from experiencing homelessness,” Pressley said.

“They are one government shutdown away, one illness, one layoff, one defaulted student loan away from experiencing homelessness.”

As a child growing up in Chicago, Pressley experienced firsthand the impact incarceration can have on families as her father battled substance abuse disorder and was in and out of the criminal justice system, the Boston Globe has reported.

Pressley spoke about her father’s struggle

during a congressional hearing earlier this year. She said that while her father was incarcerated and in the throes of addiction, “our entire family was serving with him.

“My father was in and out of the criminal justice system because of crimes he committed while battling a substance abuse disorder,” Pressley said. “I know intimately the destabilization, the stigma, the social shame and isolation of having a loved one who is incarcerated.”

Her father was later able to “do incredible things,” Pressley said, including obtaining two advanced degrees and becoming a college journalism professor and a published author.

“I’m very proud of him,” Pressley said.

When asked about her experience growing up, Pressley said that her story “is one of millions.”

“I think my job as a legislator is not just to take up space, but it’s to create space,” Pressley said. “That’s something that we put into practice in developing every legislation that we have offered, which is to create space and a seat at the table for those that are closest to the hurt and the pain who have been directly impacted.

“And we know by staying acutely uncomfortable, and listening to those stories, it ensures that we never grow complacent in the work,” Pressley said. “But it’s also by being in the proximity to the hurt and by actively listening and leaning in where we find the best solutions.”

She said that when drafting her resolution, she and her staff worked directly with those who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, children with incarcerated parents, those battling substance abuse disorder, and the transgender community.

“When I introduced The People’s Justice Guarantee, some people said to me, ‘Why would you do that without co-sponsors?’”

Pressley said. “And I said, well, we have the most important co-sponsor, the people.

“This was not a resolution developed in an ivory tower. This is not top-down policymaking,”

Pressley said. “This is community up.”

Now that she’s put in the work with those affected by the criminal legal system, Pressley said she can turn some of her attention toward colleagues in Congress.

“Now we’ll work to educate and build consensus amongst my colleagues to be legislative co-sponsors,” Pressley said.

“And we already have at least four pieces of legislation in the queue right now that we’ll be proposing that will begin to codify, legislatively, some of the tenets of The People’s Justice Guarantee.”

Tristia Bauman, senior attorney at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, said she thought the resolution was “long overdue.” Bauman has also served as a public defender representing hundreds of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of being homeless.

“We do like her direct call for the end of criminalization of homelessness and criminalization of people who disproportionately experience homelessness, like people with mental health disabilities, (and) members of the LGBTQ community,” Bauman said.

If the initiatives called for in the resolution were enacted into law, she said, it could be “very impactful” for the homeless population.

“For example, there (are) provisions here on money bail,” Bauman said. “We know that the requirement to pay a bond in order to secure release after somebody has merely been accused of a crime keeps people who are homeless in custody, because they can’t give an address where they can receive notice.

“So even if they might otherwise be released on their own recognizance, that’s not an option often available as a practical matter to a person without housing,” Bauman said. “And because they are homeless as a result of their poverty, they also do not have money to be able to pay money bail, or the type of assets necessary to put up as collateral in order to secure a bond.”

Bauman said she also liked that the resolution called out the over-incarceration of black and brown people, and called for reforming sentencing laws, eliminating mandatory minimum sentences and ending private prisons.

“She covers a lot of ground,” Bauman said.

Pressley said that she hopes the resolution will change the conversation around criminal justice reform the same way The Green New Deal changed the conversation around climate justice and Medicare for All has had on the conversation about health care.

“It is our aim that The People’s Justice Guarantee becomes that new ceiling,” Pressley said, “that North Star, a new litmus test for those that are committed to actualizing, truly, justice for all.”

Courtesy of Real Change / Street Roots / INSP.ngo

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NEWs

Rent control has supporters and detractors as an extension of the legislation is considered

By Sean McBride and Jenny-lin Smith // Editorial Intern, Volunteer

O

n Nov. 13, the Council of the District of Columbia hosted a public hearing regarding the Rental Housing Act Extension Amendment of 2019. The original bill, the Rental Housing Act of 1985, provided rent control from 1985 to 2020. A revision of the bill would extend its rent control policies to Dec. 31, 2030. Attendees were invited to speak in favor of amending the bill, as well as suggest potential improvements to the existing rent control program.

As described by Councilmember Anita Bonds, who conducted the meeting, “rent laws are enacted to eliminate unfair bargaining advantage[s] that providers have over customers who are forced to shop for apartments in an overheated, desirable housing market."

Due to rapid growth, rent control regulations have historically been important for Washington, D.C. The Rental Housing Act of 1985 covered residential rental dwellings in D.C., including apartments, houses, and individual rooms for rent within houses, with exceptions for properties subsidized by either the federal government or the District, properties built after 1975, properties owned by a landlord who owns more than four rental units in D.C., and properties that were vacant when the rent control law took effect. Its stipulations limited property owners from taking advantage of renters. For example, landlords are not allowed to raise the rent if they have done so within the last 12 months, nor may they raise the rent if they have violated the terms of the lease. The rent

laws also maintain that property owners must give a 30-day notice of any increase in rent and must limit the amount the rent is increased. In most cases, rent increases are limited to the Consumer Price Index plus 2 percent, and may not be more than 10 percent total.

Several community members and leaders expressed support for extending the bill while also expressing support for modifications to the bill that would protect renters in more targeted ways.

At the hearing, Elizabeth Falcon, Executive Director of D.C. Jobs with Justice, emphasized that the District should keep the price of rent-controlled units low, capping annual rent increases at the level of inflation and eliminating the currently allowed extra two percent increase. Falcon opined that there should be a direct relationship between the cost of rent and the D.C. minimum wage, such that like the minimum wage, rent increases should not exceed the rate of inflation. The Director of the grassroots organization People for Fairness Coalition, Robert Warren, would like to see rent control expand to all of D.C.’s most vulnerable people, especially poor residents, people living on fixed incomes and minority residents in the District.

Beth Harrison, an attorney at the Housing Law Unit Legal Aid Society, said that hardship petition policies and rates are too high and outdated. Under the Rental Housing Act of 1985, landlords may submit a hardship petition if they are not earning a rate of return of 12 percent or more on the rental. If the petition is approved, they may increase the rent amount.

At-Large Councilmember and Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Chair Anita Bonds at a mostly empty D.C. Council dais during the more than 10-hour public hearing on Nov. 13 to consider extending rent control legislation.

Photo courtesy of DCCouncil.us

“I think we need to recognize that this part of the law, this formula, asks tenants to pay higher rents to guarantee to landlords a very high rate of return, which is something that we don’t do for any other business or industry,” said Harrison.

Although her organization is supportive of extending the rent control laws, Lisa Mallory, CEO of the D.C. Building Industry Association, had some critiques of the project. Mallory said rent control or stabilization is an ambitious project and a costly policy goal. Her view is that rent stabilization does not further the District’s goals for affordable housing since the bill does not address the reasons why rent rates are rising in the first place.

Mallory is also concerned that rent caps will undermine the city’s ability to meet clean energy targets, stating that caps on rent make it difficult to invest in environmentally friendly buildings.

Overall, according to Falcon, the public hearing for B230433 was evidence of “our collective dedication to expand and protect rent control, [which] comes from our shared understanding that cost of housing in D.C. is growing at a rate that is untenable for each of our constituencies.”

“There has to be an accountability for public housing,” Robert Warren said.

The bill remains under review by D.C. Council.

The full recorded hearing is available at tinyurl.com/DCC-rent-control

HUD awards local public housing authority almost $924,000 to provide housing for DC residents with disabilities By: Sam Krizek Editorial Intern

On Nov. 20, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it would award 325 local public housing authorities with a total of $131.3 million to provide affordable housing for residents with disabilities. This housing assistance is expected to aid nearly 15,400 non-elderly persons with disabilities across the country.

The housing assistance that was announced is provided through HUD’s Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides funding to housing agencies to assist nonelderly persons with disabilities, particularly those who are transitioning out of institutional or other separated settings; are at serious risk of institutionalization; are currently homeless; have previously experienced homelessness and are currently a client in a permanent supportive

housing or rapid rehousing project; or are at risk of becoming homeless.

This program helps further the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act by helping persons with disabilities live in the most integrated setting. The program also encourages partnerships with health and human services agencies with a demonstrated capacity to coordinate voluntary services and supports to enable individuals to live independently in the community.

Out of that $131.3 million, $923,832 was sent to Community Connections here in D.C. to provide permanent affordable housing to 75 residents of the District living with disabilities.

“HUD recognizes the need for affordable, accessible housing options that promote independence and dignity for people living with disabilities. Through these vouchers, an additional 75 individuals with disabilities will

be able to find homes that will meet their needs in the community of their choice,” stated Joe DeFelice, HUD’s regional administrator for the Mid-Atlantic region, in a press release.

“That’s a win-win for our communities, and for those we serve.”

Community Connections is a nonprofit that aims to provide behavioral health, residential services, and primary health care coordination for marginalized people that live in the District, many of whom are coping with challenges including mental illness, addiction, and other disabilities.

The organization was an early leader in the efforts to develop and implement effective housing placement processes. It has also been active in the fight to expand availability of housing resources to those who most need it.

They own and manages more than 50 properties throughout the District that

provide permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities. The properties range from independent apartments, unstaffed group houses, and staffed group houses to accommodate the needs of anyone that comes through Community Connections.

They have collaborated with the Community Partnership for the prevention of Homelessness and have been funded through HUD in the past to administer a wide range of supportive housing programs that offer rental assistance and supportive services for adults and families that are facing homelessness and concurrent behavioral health conditions who may also be recovering from trauma and/or may be a U.S. Veteran.

There is no doubt that individuals who will be affected by the HUD award will greatly benefit, as this money goes straight to providing housing services they so desperately need.

streetsensemedia.org

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COMMUNITY sNAPsHOT

Laticia Brock.

POAH’s “Site Concept Plan 1” was presented

by Anthony Waddell at the Dec. 5 HPRB hearing.

PHoto BY CLiFFord samUeLs

Historic designation of Barry Farm continues through next year By cliFFord SAmUelS clifford.samuels@streetsensemedia.org

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plans were created in consultation with Maloney and with he D.C. Housing Authority and the Barry Farm additional input from the community.

Tenants and Allies Association provided progress “So when you talked to [the District Department of reports to the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Transportation] about the street grid, did they realize there Board at a Dec. 5 hearing, as requested at the last was historical significance to it?,” asked Historic Preservation hearing concerning historic landmark designation Review Board Member Outerbridge Horsey. “That street grid of Barry Farm Dwellings in Southeast D.C. has been there since 1867 and I didn’t hear anything from the The Historic Preservation Office has fostered community about how it was unsafe or anything like that, so negotiations between the parties involved and done additional did DDOT know?” research by going back to the Barry Farm site to observe the “I can’t speak for DDOT,” Waddell responded. buildings, the landscape and its visual connections to greater “Well let’s assume the answer is ‘no,’’’ Horsey said.

D.C. According to David Maloney, D.C. State Historic Parisa Narouzi, executive Preservation Officer, there director of the advocacy group has been significant progress Empower D.C., which organized in negotiations between the the BFTAA, told the review DCHA and BFTAA, but further board that POAH and DCHA discussion is needed to reach a did as little as possible in the site resolution. “We’ve gotten almost concept plans. “We’ve been in a to where I think we need to be, very difficult position because but not quite,” Maloney said. we were basically told, ‘If the DCHA attorney Cynthia Board designates the area you’ve Giordano said the request made Paulette Matthews applied for, this is going to be

by Historic Preservation Office Barry Farm Tenants and Allies Association appealed,’” Norouzi said. staff for more time would be “This process has been constructive for negotiations. “We unbelievable,” added BFTAA would welcome the opportunity Vi c e P r e s i d e n t P a u l e t t e to continue to work with staff to Matthews. “From day one, ever since this redevelopment effort hone our proposal,” Giordano said. “We will certainly continue came to place, it was more like they came in with an agenda, to work with the [BFTAA] on an agreement.” and it wasn’t going to change.”

Anthony Waddell, a representative for DCHA’s chosen The Board decided that although more time is necessary for developer, Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc., presented deciding a boundary, they aren’t looking for further assistance updated site concept plans to create a “cultural district” at from the two parties. “You all have negotiated for a really long Barry Farm that he said would tie the development into The time. I’m not expecting magic to happen in another two months,” Anacostia Heritage Trail. said Marnique Heath, who chairs the Historic Preservation According to Waddell, vice president for real estate Review Board. “What I believe in is that [the review board] development of the mid-Atlantic region, POAH collaborated can work with the [State Historic Preservation Office] staff to with the District Department of Transportation on planned figure out the appropriate boundary by that time.” alterations to the street grid that he said would better regulate The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 25. traffic throughout the community. The goal of these changes was to improve safety, according to Waddell, who said the

“This process has been unbelievable.”

PHoto BY roLando aPariCio VeLasCo

BROKeN CHAINS Our tents: Our vents Our streets: Our sheets Our parks: Our benches Our churches; Our trenches Our Meals on Wheels: Our jails.

All is stale.

Because of our government Because of our politics Thangs gonna be the same.

Tent City is a broken chain. lAticiA BrocK, Artist/Vendor

BIRTHDAYS Wendell Williams dec. 4 ARTIST/VENDOR

Aida Peery dec. 6 ARTIST/VENDOR

Colly Muk dec. 16 ARTIST/VENDOR

our stories, straight to your inbox Street Sense media provides a vehicle through which all of us can learn about homelessness from those who have experienced it. Sign up for our newsletter to get our vendors' stories in your inbox.

www.StreetSenseMedia.org/newsletter

SENSE STREET MEDIA Real Stories Real People Real Change illUStrAtionS By dAniel BAll, dAnnito JenKinS, lArry Kelley, iBn hiPPS, And QUeenie FeAtherStone. deSiGn By dAVid SerotA.

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OPINION

City shelters are not safe By dAn hooKS

City shelters are not safe, in any way. When it comes to being safe, one must first be around a safe environment. And that doesn’t happen in the shelters.

Why? For one thing there are too many people in the city shelters. There can be as many as 380 men in the MLK shelter, though it is not always full.

And many appeared to be on one drug or another whenever I stayed there.

The sad thing is that once you are on drugs, like K2, your life will never be the same. Another sad thing about being in a shelter is that many people do not want to take showers or wear clean clothes. There is no respect for each other, and when we, as a race, don’t have respect for each other, life becomes even harder – for everyone.

With people selling drugs and taking other people’s things, a shelter will never be a safe place to stay. Often, someone gets something taken by someone in the shelter. This is making the shelter the last place a person wants to be. I’d be better living on the streets. For sure!

Dan Hooks is an artist and vendor Street Sense Media.

The ‘Value’ Trap By reGinAld BlAcK

Is how we measure “value” holding us back? Humans operate on ideas, and those ideas can either free us or entrap us. The biggest entrapment has to be how we barter for goods and services. “Value” is an idea of importance that we have created and perpetuated throughout the world. We were taught not to covet what our neighbor has and to produce goods of our own accord.

But the way we “value” things has entrapped our minds and guides our animal nature to commit despicable acts.

How we survive is based on an artificial concept of metrics, like money. Many cannot think outside of making someone meaninglessly wealthy, all because we’ve bought in to a system created by other humans. So, what makes currency valuable? Our conditioning.

We claim morals that are invisible but have limited those morals with our artificial values: the all powerful metric of money. The result is a common excuse not to do anything.

Someone recently said to me that we don’t have the housing resources to solve poverty. But poverty only exists because of this unchecked system of barter that has denigrated the skills and sharing power of the masses. No wonder that in some communities the ceiling is a certain level of public assistance. The barter system has locked them out of abundance despite it being all around them.

We brag about how we look, how much our clothes and home cost. We say “you can’t get it, so shut up and work harder” when there is no incentive to supply that person’s level of work with currency. It’s society’s subtle way of being violent and animal-like where those who have no “value” are eaten. In the animal kingdom, the “value” of the eaten is elevated because the eater needs to survive. But our animal nature displayed this way causes severe diversions of races and class.

With so many ways to be violent to someone, how can we call ourselves peaceful? We cannot until we understand and implement equal bartering rights and equal currency. A dollar is no more valuable than anything else; we have made it that way. Our only recourse is to change our minds about “value” and use a different system to advance ourselves.

It's society's subtle way of being violent and animal-like where those who have no "value" are eaten.

Reginald Black is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in their Official Christmas Portrait on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. oFFiCiaL WHite HoUse PHoto BY andrea HanKs

A holiday free of Trump derangement

By JeFFery mcneil

As we approach the holidays, the last thing I want to do is talk about is impeachment. We are in the third year of Trump’s presidency yet those who hate him remain unhappy. Arguing with them is wasted energy when you can find other pleasurable pursuits.

I feel sorry for them. The left has wasted almost 1,200 days with fantasies of revolution and removal from office. It never occurs to the left that he can be re-elected. That means eight years of your life wasted on Trump. I don’t get this resistance. What has President Trump stopped you from doing?

They say he’s a racist but when you ask the left to name a specific policy that has discriminated against people of color they become enraged. It’s hard to argue Trump is a racist when he is polling with Hispanics at 31% and with African Americans at 34 %.

How Trump can be racist when he signed a criminal justice reform bill worked with Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) on Opportunity Zones, named Ben Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, has funded historically black colleges and has steered many minorities from food benefits to jobs with the lowest black and Hispanic unemployment of any president?

They claim Trump is a dictator. Do they know what a dictator is? You had Hollywood actors such as Robert De Niro and Kathy Griffin threaten violence toward the president — do they think they could do that in Iran or North Korea? Can they name one policy Trump did that bypassed Congress or ignored the Supreme Court? Does he want to abolish

private insurance and have the government control all your healthcare needs? That is the textbook definition of fascism, when the government runs all aspects of your life.

I admit I don’t get lathering yourself into a rage because people don’t agree or think like you.

I understand someone not liking Trump, but why should I care about how you feel?

I support Trump but I’m not the gum on his shoe. I’m open to alternatives. Unfortunately, the Democrats are not the off-ramp. I accept that politics is dysfunctional, both Republicans and Democrats are useless. Neither are for working people. Both parties are about seizing your freedoms and policing those that oppose them.

While I’m not happy with the state of our nation, I’m not for socialism. Socialism is like robbing someone’s bank account, then buying them McDonald’s and claiming you’re feeding them. Socialism sounds good in theory but the reality is if Wall Street believed Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders could be president they would flee the country.

Sixty-three million people voted for Trump.

The Looney Left is now trying to nullify people’s votes, which is why we have the Second Amendment — to prevent tyranny.

I think Donald Trump is doing a fantastic job. He’s not stopping me from doing anything.

I don’t see Trump preventing anyone from going shopping, investing, going to school, or living the American Dream.

Jeffery McNeil is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Join the conversation, share your views - Have an opinion about how homelessness is being addressed in our community?

- Want to share firsthand experience?

- interested in responding to what someone else has written?

Street Sense Media has maintained an open submission policy since our founding.

We aim to elevate voices from across the housing spectrum and foster healthy debate.

Please send submissions to opinion@streetsensemedia.org.

streetsensemedia.org

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The Trump administration’s false and damaging narrative on homelessness By mAriA FoScAriniS

Last week, we learned that Robert Marbut would be named as the executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), a position recently left open by the ousting of Matthew Doherty. USICH is a critical agency created by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act with a mandate to “reduce and end homelessness in the nation,” and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and other groups seeking to end homelessness have worked closely with it.

We fear that Marbut’s appointment, coupled with recent damaging and inaccurate rhetoric from the Trump administration, will lead to harmful new policies that will hurt people experiencing homelessness.

Over the past months, President Donald Trump has called homelessness “a disgrace” and referred to areas of homelessness as a “disgusting slum.” He has also perpetuated false beliefs that homelessness is caused by and directly related to mental illness and drug addiction — even though we know the driving cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable and accessible housing.

In addition, the White House Council of Economic Advisors recently published a white paper attempting to discredit the proven solution of Housing First, and the administration is poised to issue a new executive order that would potentially increase harmful criminalization practices. We fear that these actions, and the appointment of Marbut, are being used to amplify Trump’s destructive language and to justify the possibility of razing encampments and of so-called “sweeps.”

The Law Center is concerned that Doherty’s forced resignation and that Marbut’s appointment are based on politics, not on the well-being of our unhoused neighbors. Marbut has previously worked as a private consultant whose work with cities has been grounded in a criminalization approach that forces homeless persons into “campuses” (including one housed in a former jail) under threat of arrest. This approach is consistent with the administration’s misguided statements that people experiencing homelessness are too comfortable on the street and need to be forced into shelters — which are often nonexistent or not appropriate for their needs.

On Monday, the Law Center released our updated Housing Not Handcuffs 2019 report — showing that the criminalization of homelessness continues to increase throughout the country. This report shows not only how criminalization is ineffective, harmful, and costly, but also how criminalization laws exacerbate homelessness by creating barriers to housing, employment, and services needed to escape life on the streets.

The updated report also reviews the

disparate racial impact of homelessness and disparate impacts on persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. The inaccurate belief — reinforced by public commentary like Trump’s — that homelessness is a result of poor life choices, mental illness, and/or drug addiction motivates public calls for a zero-tolerance approach to homelessness; which in turn leads to criminalization laws designed to remove visibly homeless people from public space.

We fear that the president’s invective — and policies — targeting people of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ communities are already giving license to state and local leaders to increase their efforts to “sweep” homeless people out of public places. At the least, they are inciting misinformed public support of these policies. As our new report shows, this destructive policy trend is increasing, and we are concerned that Marbut’s appointment may worsen the situation.

The White House Council of Economic Advisors recently published a white paper attempting to discredit the proven solution of Housing First, and the administration is poised to issue a new executive order that would potentially increase harmful criminalization practices.

However, there are existing and promising policies currently at work across the country — including key recommendations in Housing Not Handcuffs 2019 and in evidencebased approaches laid out by USICH’s Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. These solutions need to be supported — and housing needs to be recognized as the basic human right that it is — in order to end homelessness.

The Law Center will continue to push for Housing Not Handcuffs, for housing-based solutions and against any approach that criminalizes homelessness. We hope USICH will be a partner in this work.

Maria Foscarinis is founder and executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

Thanks4giving By leVeSter Green // Artist/Vendor

I just wanna give a few Thanksgiving shout outs.

My Mom for life.

The people in my life for strife!

The grit and struggle to gain a slice of the American pie.

Dissecting the lies from the alibis.

Giving opportunities a real nice hard try.

The will to live and not to die, Like I will survive.

Cream of the crop so to the top I rise!

Up at sunrise, speculating on the spies along the ride.

They are in disguise, using me as their guide.

Friends offering places to placate your pride.

Shout out to Friendship Place for standing by my side!

Street Sense Media too, for being with me through the ride.

An acknowledgment to Pathways for the service it provides.

Still working on my hunger; which is king-sized.

Thankful for it all because this is life, I surmise...

A bad batch

By ronAld Smoot // Artist/Vendor

dealing with my mental health

By JenniFer mclAUGhlin Artist/Vendor

When my oldest child called me earlier this year, after not seeing each other for 21 years, I had a lot of emotions thinking about what happened to me.

I aged out of foster care at 21 into my first episode of homelessness. I’ve been dealing with my mental health for a long time. Most of my life.

I lived an unhealthy lifestyle. And I started thinking to myself that I could do better for myself if I just started eating right and exercising. I want to be there for my seven children from this day forward.

Street Sense Media helped me become who I am today: an advocate, a photographer, an artist. They gave me opportunity when nobody else would.

They always lift me up and encourage me, even when I have been misunderstood.

Thank you for reading my work, enjoying my photos and helping me become an active member of this community. I love you all.

I was homeless for 33 years. I was "living" in Tenleytown on Wisconsin Avenue NW and sleeping in the Tenleytown subway station across from Best Buy. My friends and I would drink liquor and smoke K-2. We drank for about twenty years; we smoked for about three years. I did both because I was angry and I had a bad attitude. I'd get in street fights with people I didn't like. I had several serious problems.

My drinking sent me to prison for a couple of years. When I came home the first time my friend Chris had died from an overdose of K-2. When I came home the second time after completing sentencing for my parole violation they found my very close friend, Charles, dead in his apartment. I was very sad he had left me alone. We'd been together on the street for about 15 years. I miss him so much. He used to say, "I've got your back" all the time for me to get myself together.

So after those friends died from an overdose or too much drinking or whatever else they may have done, I made up my mind to stop smoking K-2. I do not want anybody to EVER smoke that because people put fentanyl and many other bad substances into the K-2. So, if you don't want to die from a bad batch, PLEASE leave drugs alone. Thank you!

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BlockwoodACETem Constructio p n

Delta T Group

What a mountain to climbb Sodexo Company iversal n U d e i l l A Hilton GaAur Bon Pain By iBn hiPPS // Artist/Vendor

My Science Project By ron dUdley, A.K.A. “PooKAnU” Artist/Vendor

This my science project Right now, I need science To help get out the projects.

I live in the ghetto Where next door neighbors They don't even say “Hello” The hood is a mess Where it's hard to think about life When people worry to death My son turning five I just pray to God That we both be alive The streets can be crazy I seen a man kill a baby and a lady Over a maybe.

I seen the prettiest women Lie, kill — even steal From their children Are we the science project?

Stuck in the past Still haven't made no progress They say we live in the slums Where everybody bums Why they keep giving us guns?

We thought drugs was the answer Until our mother died The drugs gave her the cancer Abortion clinics and planned parenthood Why they wanna eliminate my manhood?

I believe in a woman's right to choose But when babies die that's when I get confused His baby mama got an abortion for views That’s when everybody lose ‘Cause life is a graduation so amazing Life is a holiday, a celebration But they taught us to hate it He tried and tried, but still never made it Life told him enough is enough.

This my science project I told him, “Never give up.”

This poem shares the title of my upcoming poetry book that will be available starting Wednesday, Dec. 18. At the same time that I received this news, I also learned that I may be homeless again in the new year. I have been renting a room from a friend for two years paying close to a hundred bucks a week. I’ve never been late on a payment, but he said I have to move by Jan. 3, 2020.

My mind is going crazy inside! I don’t know what I’m going to do. Oh God, I need a blessing.

For everyone who supported me, I would like to thank you.

In 2015 an attempt was made on my life to the point I only survived through the mercy of God himself. Since then I am four years clean and forever will be.

Change has been made, even my people, places and things have become a part of those changes. I’ve been from one temp agency to another, job hunting and signed many online applications, and had 5 interviews.

I’ve been staying at a shelter where you have to have a job to keep a bed. Other than selling this newspapers, application after application and job fair after job fair has not helped me find a permanent job. I’ve lived there since May of 2019 and was allowed to move in providing that I get a permanent job within 90 days. So, despite the efforts I just described, my case manager tells me that my time is up.

Thank you all and have a blessed day.

den Inn

Martha’s Table JOB FAIR True Food Kitchen People Ready Temp Agency

WMATA Linda Fields JOB FAIR

Roughly 30% of the job leads Ibn Hipps said he recently pursued. iLLUstration BY

LeVester green, artist/Vendor

The struggles and poverty of homelessness

By JAmeS GArtrell Artist/Vendor

Hello readers and fans. I hope your lives are well and pleasant. I’m glad that some of you are reading and taking my writing seriously. And I hope you’re digesting from the heart and perhaps trying to do something about this problem of homelessness.

The real core of myself as a writer is my observance of how some of the people in this DMV and the world today look at homelessness and poverty much the same as they have forever. People are still struggling, and others are still judging them for it. Somehow, people continue to neglect the fact that there are homeless men and women out here, asking for help, support and advice to guide them in the right direction.

As time ticks on, we all should learn from their struggles. Our destiny from our Creator is to do unto others as you would want them to do unto us.

There are some people in this world who are honest, hard-working and good-hearted, who care about homelessness. They have decent jobs and probably make good money to take care of themselves and they additionally help others.

I see this firsthand where I work. Folks at The Daily Grill, the Post Office and some of the clubs around 19th, 18th and M streets NW. All these people are hard workers that keep the peace around the working area and support the struggling individuals that are trying to survive on the streets daily. May God bless them all for their caring support, understanding of the poverty of homelessness and support that they so willingly give.

I respect and admire their contributions.

I have something to deal with within the system and you might not see me for a while if things don’t go my way. However, if the Creator blesses me with a chance to fulfill my task of redeeming and supporting fellow friends that are struggling, then I will continue writing and expressing my opinions.

Just know I love you all from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you Street Sense Media for the opportunity to write in your publication and express my opinions. Thank you to all the people in the DMV and the world who have shown support for me and people in similar situations.

Love you all. And thank you Mrs. Butler and Mrs. Holland, my two teachers at PG Community College, for working with me to start to achieve my GED.

AMFITHEATRIKAL-KOLVMBARIVM

By Frederic John // Artist/Vendor

A semi circle space Where souls and fond Mem’ry find place

Holy Roots Cemetery has stood at the top of the Georgetown hill since 1832. The last surviving revolutionary war veteran from this region is buried there, Joseph Nevitt, among other illustrious Washingtonians. It was recently decided that a new columbarium be erected within its confines. Illustration by Frederic John.

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Random Acts of Kindness:

Home for the holidays by planes, trains and automobiles, Part 2

By Wendell Williams Artist/Vendor

PREVIOUSLY: Wendell recounted graduating high school and being written off as “not college material” by his guidance counselor. But a series of random acts of kindness led him to take his first flight, to visit colleges like Oberlin, and to not settle for less...

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s a child, I was fascinated by “choo choo” trains. It started with my parents taking us to see the window displays at the downtown department stores during the holidays featuring elaborate model train layouts. My dad took me to a co-worker’s house who had a wonderful HO-scale train layout designed like a miniature city. It had everything you could think of just down to scale.

His friend gave me an engineer’s hat and he let me run the operation. The experience set in motion a life-long love affair with trains and things that moved.

Baby-boom boys received as gifts the coveted and highly collectible cast-iron Lionel train sets. We received one to share.

We’d watch the engine and cars go round and round before our imaginations tired and got bored — but not me. Later I got my own, which allowed me to tap into my mind where I traveled the world and did the things I dreamed and read about, like Walter Mitty. I daydreamed about trains, planes and automobiles taking me places. I tried to build my own airplane once using electric fans. The Wright Brothers had nothing on me.

I felt alone and depressed as a child spending my time doing things that didn’t require partners. I learned to create fantasy friends and travels based on my love of the encyclopedias my parents purchased over the years. Companies World Book Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Britannica competed for doorto-door sales. They marketed to young families allowing them to purchase books volume by volume. It was “educational child abuse” for upwardly mobile Black parents not having a encylopedia set.They were to help us bridge that gap between what we got in school and didn’t.

They were our internet and Google. During any disagreement my parents would simply shout “Look it up!” I slept with a different volume each night: starting at A, going to “WXYZ” and over and over. When I read a newspaper, which was required in our house (Mom would remove the sports section), or saw a movie, I couldn’t wait to get to my encyclopedias for more background. They fueled my daydreams of traveling the world.

I loved the train yards in this area. Newcomers don’t realize that some of our neighborhoods were built and occupied by railroad company employees. Trains were routed through yards in now trendy Ivy City or Alexandria’s Potomac Yards, which was one of the largest yards on the East Coast. It was once considered as a site for the new Skins stadium. The area that stretches from Old Town Alexandria to Crystal City today was that yard, including current shopping centers and housing from Route 1 to the parkway. As far as the eye could see were rows of rail cars and working yard engines. I used to count how many cars were in a particular grouping. All night in Del Ray you could hear the trains coupling, banging, pulling off, or coming through as clear as a bell.

I continue to be fascinated by trains. My bucket list even includes crossing the country by rail. I get to see them up close in areas like Hyattsville and Bladensburg where there are above-ground train crossings before they enter the tunnels.

Sometimes you wait for almost 20 minutes for the train to

pass and the gate to reopen. Not many knew trains were my passion growing up and I spent every dime I had or gift request on model trains and the accompanying paraphernalia needed to stock my layout in the corner of my family’s basement. I spent more money on trains than I did on dates, spending hours arranging and rearranging things.

My mom and I were not what I would call close, but bless her heart she was supportive of my interest in railroading. In one of the greatest random acts of kindness, on Dec. 4, 1961, my 11th birthday, she took me without notice on what was to be my first train ride. The details of that day are still embedded in my mind today because I never knew what it was like to have all her attention focused on me until that day.

We left Union Station headed to Baltimore which seemed hours away. We arrived at Penn Station and went straight to the B&O Train Museum where I saw all kinds of trains and trolleys. Then headed downtown for lunch, sightseeing, and a movie. While walking on Baltimore’s famous “The Block,” I remember her nervously trying to explain to me what burlesque was as “those” theaters lined the street along with “movie” theaters.I remember falling asleep to the click clack of the tracks next to her as we headed back late that evening. In a Random Act of Kindness she gave me a lasting memory and the greatest of her gifts, her undivided attention.

Later in my life a lonely train ride of shame started me down the tracks to a wonderful life. Early one morning after several days of bingeing on drugs and alcohol, I was penniless and walked from Ivy City to Gallery Place Metro, where I hoped to panhandle my way home to Virginia. It is only through the grace of God that nobody gave me cash or I may have turned around and missed the ride and the blessing of a lifetime.

Until that point I had been going through the same cycle.

I’d get sober for a few years but would always hit a wall partly because I lacked fulfillment in employment. Having had a meaningful career the stumbling block was I sensed that there was something that I should be doing that would be impactful for others, not just making rich people richer, as I’d done in broadcasting.

That morning I posted up by the escalators as the commuters rushed in. They were walking with a sense of purpose that

The Metro station where Wendell Williams and Jeri Davis parted ways after their first meeting Photo courtesy of Wendell Williams.

made it difficult to start a conversation or ask for their help as they rushed by. Fortunately a lieutenant colonel with starched fatigues approached me. “Good Morning, Colonel,” I said, and he paused for just a brief moment to engage me. He had that no-nonsense military look and strong sharp jaw that said “don’t waste my time.” So I got right to the point. I honestly told him why I was in the position to have to ask for help and he said “Roger that” and we rode down the escalator together.

At the fare machine I showed him my SmarTrip card and he promptly loaded $10 on it and walked away. He got on the Yellow Line, probably headed to the Pentagon.

As my train pulled in, I watched cars full of people pass me on the platform. But the last car was sparsely populated so I chose it to continue my ride of shame home to Alexandria. I sat in an isolated seat at the rear and tried to close my eyes to crash and not be bothered. But before leaving the District a lady got on the train in my car. And with all the empty seats available she chose to come and sit right next to me. I’m thinking, “What the f***? Why is this woman sitting next to me?” She looked nothing like me.

That lady was Jeri Davis, a wonderful woman who would become a long-distance mentor and supporter from her base in Memphis. The funny thing about random acts of kindness is that sometimes you don’t get to keep those people in your daily life. They may be there for just a brief moment. In this case, I found hope and a friend on that ride of shame.

Over the years Ms. Davis and I have stayed in touch with calls and emails. That day she calmly sat down beside me, she could sense I was agitated by her seat selection but didn’t care. She immediately began to engage me in conversation. I’m thinking, “This lady has lost her mind. Can’t she see that I just want to be alone?” But she kept talking revealing to me why she was in town. She was looking for people to participate in a training film for mental health and substance abuse workers.

She wanted to know if I’d be interested. I guess I looked so beaten up that I was right out of central casting for the part.

She then segued into into explaining that a person like me was perfectly suited to be a valuable asset in the war for America’s behavioral health. The whole time I was saying to myself, “What a crock of s***.” But I started to listen and by the time we got to the King Street Station, I was convinced. She stood up, gave me her card, some advice, and instructions on how to pursue the newest wave in behavioral health treatment and got off. That was my only face-to-face contact with the woman who changed my life.

A year or two later, I was seeing my therapist and right there on the board was an announcement that Virginia was looking for recovery coaches. A Richmond-based organization was conducting the training in an effort to get more coaches in service. I talked to my therapist about it and he agreed it seemed like it would be a good fit for me. So off I went to pursue how to enroll and find the money to pay for it.

With the help of my therapist Jonathan who led me to my caseworker Nadine from the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and my great Street Sense Media supporters, we found the money for the various trainings it required and two years later I was able to be one of the first in this area to acquire the certifications needed to start helping people with addictions fight for their lives in the opioid crisis.

Two random acts of kindness by strangers on a train ride of shame came together and gave new meaning to my love of trains and a chance to follow my dream of helping others.

To be continued.

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fUN & 8 9 GAMes 3 6

Challenging Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 2

5

9 1 6 7 8

1

2 9 9 3 5 6 6 1 4 7 3 4 8 2 1 8 7 5

4 9 9 1 8 4 2 8 1 6 7 2 3 7 6 5 5 3

Sudoku #7 9

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Sudoku #4 8 2 4 7 6 1 5 9 9 7 3 2 2 5 6 8 1 8 7 3 3 4 9 5 5 9 2 4 7 3 1 6 4 6 8 1

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© 2013 KrazyDad.com

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each Sudoku #6column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

SUDOKU: Fill in 5 If you 6 4 6 1 5 3 8 2 7 9 useblank logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork. the squares 3 8 7 9 2 1 4 6 5 8 3 so that each row, Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. each column andsquare you should solve. Or use the answers page Use it to identify the next 7 if 2 9 2 5 4 6 7 3 1 8 youeach really3-by-3 get stuck. block 9 1 contain all of the 6 5 4 8 7 3 1 9 2

3 7 4 5 1 8 2 9 6 4

9 3 1 5 4 2 8 6 6 9 7 4 1 5 9 7 5 4 3 8 7 1 6 2 2 8 5 9 3 6 4 1 8 7 2 3

digits 1-9.

LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION >>

Here is a safety net

9 2 8 1 3 2 3 6 5 7 8 1 4 9 7

1 5 6 8 4 3 2 4 9 7 5 6 7 1 5 9 8 4 3 9 4 6 2 1 6 8 2 5 3 7

Sudoku #8 8 4 2 5 9 7 3 4 6 1 5 2 1 9 8 7 7 5 6 1 2 3 4 9 5 8 9 6 3 2 7 8 4 6 1 3

1

8 9

7 6 3

4

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By reV. John littleJohn Artist/Vendor Whom the gods wish to destroy they first call promising.

7 2 4 5 8 9 1 4 6 3 5 2 7 4 9 1 8 2 3 7 4 3 6 5 2

Sudoku #2 3 1 2 5 9 6 7 8 4 Challenging Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 2 4 5 9 2 8 7 6 3 1 7 8 6 4 1 3 2 5 9 9 2 3 1 7 5 8 4 6 6 4 8 9 3 2 1 7 5 5 7 1 8 6 4 3 9 2 2 3 7 6 5 9 4 1 8 8 9 4 3 2 1 5 6 7 1 6 5 7 4 8 9 2 3

For years, I thought of Jesus’s “Sermon on the Mount” as a blueprint to human behavior: a standard that no one could possibly meet.

But how could I have missed the true meaning? Jesus spoke those words not to frustrate us, but to tell us what God is really like. They tell us how the Father will be there for us and how we should strive to be there for each other. “If God be with us, who can be against us?”

(Romans 8:31).

Giving is only a blessing when we give cheerfully to those in need and receive cheerfully from those who may have more than they need. Amen! We can each help be a part of each other’s safety net.

I was under a safety net at the Starbucks coffee shop in Chinatown at H and 7th streets NW for about nine years. They were in Chinatown for about 25 years and the people there always treated me very well. Now I am across the street at the Capital One Café, where I am now under a safety net with them..

Why live without fear and worry? Because the same “God” who gathers the lilies and the grass of the field has promised to take care of us.

Why pray? If an earthly father gives his son bread and fish, how much more will the Father, God in Heaven, give good gifts to those who ask?

It’s better to give than to receive. If you give it will be given back to you. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)

Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount not only to explain God’s ideal toward which we should never stop striving, but also to show that, in this life, none of us will ever reach that ideal. Amen!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

(Matthew 5:3–12) Before God, we all stand on level ground. Murderers, adulterers, those that lust, thieves, and coveters — the list goes on and on. We are all desperate and that is the only state appropriate to a human being who wants to know God. Having fallen from the absolute idea, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.

Most, if not all city and states, have a safety net in the churches and homeless shelters as well as outreach programs to help tackle hard the “homeless sin.”

Amen!

author gene Weingarten is a college dropout and a nationally syndicated humor columnist for the Washington Post. author dan Weingarten is a former college dropout and a current college student majoring in information technology. many thanks to gene Weingarten and the Washington Post Writers group for allowing street sense to run Barney & Clyde.

streetsensemedia.org

COMMUNITY serVICes

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

(202) 399-7093

YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica

(202) 547-7777

Education Educación

Health Care Seguro

Clothing Ropa

Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal

Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Food Comida

Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo

Transportation Transportación

Showers Duchas

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

Bread for the City 202-265-2400 (nW) // 561-8587 (se) 1525 7th st., nW // 1640 good Hope rd., se breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 good Hope rd., se calvaryservices.org

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

Central Union Mission // 202-745-7118 65 massachusetts ave., nW missiondc.org

Charlie’s Place // 202-232-3066 1830 Connecticut ave., nW charliesplacedc.org

Christ House // 202-328-1100 1717 Columbia rd., nW christhouse.org

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

Community Family Life Services 202-347-0511 // 305 e st., nW cflsdc.org

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

Covenant House Washington 202-610-9600 // 2001 mississippi ave., se covenanthousedc.org

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 massachusetts ave., nW dccfh.org

Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 eye st., nW fathermckennacenter.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 riggs rd., ne foodandfriends.org

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

Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin ave., nW friendshipplace.org

georgetown Ministry Center // 202-338-8301 1041 Wisconsin ave., nW georgetownministrycenter.org

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd st., nW jobshavepriority.org

Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 newton st., nW loavesandfishesdc.org

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 elvans road se 2204 martin Luther King ave. se

Miriam’s Kitchen // 202-452-8926 2401 Virginia ave., nW miriamskitchen.org

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

// 15

1-888-793-4357 Laundry Lavandería

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 new York ave., ne

Patricia Handy Place for Women 202-733-5378 // 810 5th st., nW Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th st., nW samaritaninns.org

Samaritan Ministry 202-722-2280 // 1516 Hamilton st., nW 202-889-7702 // 1345 U st., se samaritanministry.org

Sasha Bruce Youthwork // 202-675-9340 741 8th st., se sashabruce.org

So Others Might Eat (SOME) // 202-797-8806 71 o st., nW some.org

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

Thrive DC // 202-737-9311 1525 newton st., nW thrivedc.org

Unity Health Care // 202-745-4300 3020 14th st., nW unityhealthcare.org

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

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

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th st., nW // 202-745-7000 2301 mLK Jr. ave., se // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org

N Street Village // 202-939-2060 1333 n st., nW nstreetvillage.org

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

HeLP! we’re LOOKING fOr

volunteers Become a street sense media volunteer and help further our mission to empower people experiencing homelessness. get to know the vendors and make a difference in their lives and yours!

You’ll support hard-working newspaper vendors by volunteering your time, four hours a week, distributing newspapers at the street sense media office. if interested, please contact gladys robert gladys@streetsensemedia.org 202-347-2006 (x10)

December 11, 2019 Dear reader, Board of Directors

december 11, 2019

As I sit to write this, fierce winds and temperatures in the low forties are a harsh reminder of winter’s fast approach. Coming out of the Metro this morning, I ran into Aaron Stetter, President “Arthur,” a Street Sense Media (SSM) newspaper and talented stage artist in his late fifties. “I need to talk to you about getting help with a housing voucher,” dearvendor reader, Independent Community he said. “I can’t do this anymore.” By that, he meant spend another winter outside. “Come in and talk to Lissa,” I replied. “Lissa can help you obtain a voucher.”

Bankers of America

as i sit to write this, fierce winds and temperatures in the low forties are a harsh

Lissa Ramsepaul is Street Sense Media’s Clinical Director, overseeing our case management program. She’s a seasoned social worker who has committed her reminder of winter’s fast approach. Coming out of the Metro this morning, I ran into Shari Wilson, Vice President career to working with persons who are chronically homeless; individuals who’ve experienced multiple traumas in their lives. Your support has made it possible “Arthur,” a Street Sense Media (SSM) newspaper vendor and talented stage artist for us to have someone as qualified as Lissa on our staff to ensure our vendor-artists are connected to the services they need. Since it was fully launched in May Daniel Webber, Secretary in his late fifties. “I need to talk to you about getting help with a housing voucher,” 2017, the program has served 111 SSM vendor-artists. David, Sheila, Patty, Levester, Reggie and 36 other SSM vendor artists are now safely housed. But we Edelman need to do more. With your help we can.he said. “I can’t do this anymore.” By that, he meant spend another winter outside.

“Come in and talk to Lissa,” I replied. “Lissa can help you obtain a voucher.”

Dan Schwartz, Treasurer Lissa is with us only ten hours a week and, currently, she supervises only one full-time case manager. Our case management program simply lacks the capacity to Bryan Cave LLP Ramsepaul is services Street Sense Media’s Clinical overseeing case reach all 130 of our vendor-artists, let aloneLissa persons who need our but are not yet engaged.

OurDirector, goal has always been to our expand the program to include management program.

She’s a seasoned social worker who has committed her outreach to persons driven by desperation into panhandling and other vulnerable neighbors who live outside. Ideally, Lissa would be with us full-time. And given Mary Coller Albert to working with persons whotoare homeless; the complexity of our vendor-artists’ lives,career a case manager should limit engagement 25 chronically or fewer persons at a time.individuals Our case loadwho’ve in 2019 was over 60. You Bethesda Media Group traumas lives. Your support hashousing. made it possible for have the power to make this possible andexperienced to make a realmultiple impact on the livesinoftheir our neighbors without stable

us to have someone as qualified as Lissa on our staff to ensure our vendor-artists

Jeremy Bratt are connected to theemployment services they need. since was fully launched in management may 2017, program designed Your generosity makes possible SSM’s combination of no-barrier opportunities, mediaitarts workshops and a case program served 111 ssm david, sheila, Levester, to navigate the complex bureaucracies that the deliver housing,has health and mental health vendor-artists. care. Research backs up our model,Patty, showing that media arts workshops are Cameron Unz Curtis instrumental in lowering barriers to engagement in available We’vevendor known that all along.

It is obvious to us how But thesewe workshops build community and reggie and 36services. other ssm artists are now safely housed. need to Association for Clinical & a lasting sense of family for persons who when we meetWith themyour are completely and alone. do more. help wedisconnected can.

Translational Science

I need you to know that your generosity saves extends lives. ten That’s because homelessness kills. Life she expectancy for anyone experienced chronic Lissaand is with us only hours a week and, currently, supervises onlywho onehas fullBrian Leonard homelessness and prolonged housing instability iscase moremanager. than 20 years shorter than for persons who are stably housed. time our case management program simply lacks the capacity to Free State and Lost & Found

reach all 130 of our vendor-artists, let alone persons who need our services but are

At Street Sense Media, we re-learn that tragic time weour are called to plan funerals and memorial services for our vendors who have died young. In my notfact yetevery engaged. goal has always been to expand the program to include Jennifer Park eight years with the organization, all but a few of the funerals I have attended have been for persons in their fi fties. outreach to persons driven by desperation into panhandling and other vulnerable Prince George’s County MD neighbors who live outside. ideally, Lissa would be with us full-time. and given the Office of the Public Defender We are so grateful for your past support. Your generosity this year-end campaign helpmanager us reach new goals.limit More importantly,to your contribution complexity ofduring our vendor-artists’ lives, acan case should engagement can help save and extend more lives.

25 or fewer persons at a time. our case load in 2019 was over 60. You have the John Senn

power to make this possible and to make a real impact on the lives of our

You have always been a critical part of our success. Your generosity has changed lives. We hope that we neighbors without stable housing. can count on your continued partnership through a generous year-end gift using the tear-off reply card or Brian Carome by going online at www.streetsensemedia.org and clicking on the DONATE button. We thank you for your Executive Director Your generosity makes possible SSM’s combination of no-barrier employment support and wish you the very best this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Brian Carome Executive Director

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

opportunities, media arts workshops and a case management program designed to navigate the complex bureaucracies that deliver housing, health and mental health care. research backs up our model, showing that media arts workshops are instrumental in lowering barriers to engagement in available services. We’ve known that all along. it is obvious to us how these workshops build community and a lasting sense of family for persons who when we meet them are completely From your vendor disconnected and alone.

I need you to know that your generosity saves and extends lives. That’s because homelessness kills. Life expectancy for anyone whoDEC. has experienced 11 - 23, 2019 | VoLUme 17 issUe 3 chronic homelessness and prolonged housing instability is more than 20 years shorter than for persons who are stably housed. at street sense media, we re-learn that tragic fact every time we are called to plan funerals and memorial services for our vendors who have died young. in my eight Yes, I want to support Street Sense Media! years with the organization, all but a few of the funerals i have attended have been for persons in their fifties.

Enclosed is my gift of:

❑$2,000 ❑$1,500 ❑$1,000

❑$500

❑$250

❑$100 ❑$________

Name: Address: City, State Zip: Email: Or Give Online at www.streetsensemedia.org Street Sense Media |1317 G Street, NW | Washington, DC 20005 | 202.347.2006 | www.streetsensemedia.org

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