Becoming an Ally

For my final entry, I would like to address what I have taken from this project over the course of this semester. The first thing that comes to mind is how important it is to be vocal and advocate for groups you wish to be an ally for. To show that you care, you have to be proactive and educate yourself. It is also important to note that some of the groups that need the most help are comprised largely of invisible individuals. What I mean by this is that homeless students, for example, do not want it to be known they are homeless. That’s why it is important to make sure everyone knows you your position – that you’re an ally. This is so that individuals from invisible groups know they can come to you for guidance and help. This is likely one of the few ways to reach this group. Also, in order to appear genuine, it is important to already be educated on the subject when approached by a student. As mentioned before, this requires being a bit proactive on your part.

For those of you who wish to advocate for the homeless, I found some interesting ways to get your voice heard. I got most of these ideas from The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness website. For additional resources, this organization also recommends going to www.studentsagainsthunger.org

Individuals interested in helping this demographic can organize a clothing drive or even write to their congressman or congresswoman urging him or her to “support legislation that will benefit homeless people.” Another idea suggests volunteering at an organization that specifically helps the needy. I consider the time I spent with Labre Ministry to be invaluable. I met a lot of homeless people who opened up to me and showcased for me the human component of this issue. In addition to volunteering, writing to your representatives and organizing a clothing drive, The National Coalition for the Homeless also recommends organizing a panel of former or current homeless people to come speak about their experiences. For any of you wishing to take advantage of this opportunity, you can email Michael O’Neil. He is the Director for the Speakers’ Bureau, which is a part of the NCH. His email is moneill@nationalhomeless.org. Email him, or click on this,for more information about coordinating this event as well as attaining moreinformation on others things associated with homelessness.

As I think about what I have learned through this project and in my Student Development class as well as other classes, I cannot help but think that there are so many groups of invisible people in the world, just waiting for the opportunity to be helped. There are resources that can be utilized, people who can help, and yet, for whatever reasons, these resources and people are not always being matched to the people they can help. I will certainly keep everything I have learned here in mind as I continue my work in higher education.

On Homeless Voting Rights

Over the course of this past week, I have spoken with Rachel a few more times about what life is like as a homeless student. Rachel, who describes herself as “momentarily homeless” is a college student who I was recently introduced to. She plans to move in with her parents in a few weeks when the semester is over, but has decided to “rough it” until then. This will give her the summer to find a new apartment before classes resume in the fall. Roughing it, as she described it, consists of sleeping in her car and showering at the campus gym. She has explained that this situation is constantly on her mind, sometimes affecting her concentration in class. During the course of one of our conversations, Rachel and I started talking about homelessness in general. She was interested in hearing what kinds of things I have addressed on my blog. As I started to explain a few of the entries to her, the subject of democratic rights was brought up. This discussion intrigued me and I decided to research it.

I came across some literature discussing voting rights for homeless people. The history and evolution of this “right” is interesting. In my belief, voting is core tenet of democracy and is thus a right every citizen under such a system should enjoy. I would think homeless people, who are in dire need of representation, would be allowed to vote. And while things are certainly better for this group, such wasn’t always the case. I also think that by addressing this one issue, a broader picture of how homeless people have been regarded by the greater population emerges.

In Pitts v. Black (1984), a New York law forbidding a homeless person’s right to vote was challenged. A district court ultimately determined that this whole group was “disenfranchised… which is forbidden by the Equal Protection Clause.” In countless other cases (Collier v. Menzel (1985), Bd. Of Election Comm’rs v. Chicago/Gray Area Union of the Homeless (1986), Coalition for the Homeless v. Jensen (1992), for example), the courts have consistently found that homeless people have a right to vote. As you can see, in regards to voting, this evolution of homeless rights has taken hold only since the 1980s. The central legal issue in these cases has been residency; however, the real issue was the perception that these people were not citizens. More often than not, since the 1980s, the courts have found that homeless people can satisfy the residency requirement by simply writing down an area they frequent (such as a park or street) or supply the name of a shelter they are staying at. Some courts have required a mailing address, but almost all would seem to agree that these men and women are entitled to a vote, and rightly so. You can view this information, which was retrieved from theNational Coalition for the Homeless website, by clicking here.

To say that homeless people are being treated like second class citizens would be wrong. They are not being treated like citizens at all; and to think that this culture of exclusion stops with voting would be incorrect. I would argue that one doesn’t have to look very far to see how this demographic is truly being portrayed and then treated. Look at entertainment for starters, or think about how the plight of this group is rarely brought up in the media or during political debates.

I think it is important to stay informed on a wide variety of subjects concerning a wide variety of groups of people. Rachel was very interested to hear about the voting rights of homeless. Other students, should they confide in me in the future, will likely appreciate the knowledge I have already accumulated on the subject and may be more willing to open up to me and take my advice as a result. This is important for those of us who claim to be allies. If I truly want to help my future students, then I need to be proactive and educate myself now on the possible types of students I will be working with so that when I am approached and asked about a particular situation, I will be ready.

Rachel, a Homeless Student

This past week, I began a dialogue with a student who has been homeless for almost three weeks. She is an undergrad student at a university in Chicago. This person was introduced to me through a friend and wishes to remain anonymous.

Rachel, as this student will be known, broke up with her boyfriend about three weeks ago. Her boyfriend also happened to be her roommate at the time. Needless to say, relations between them have ceased and they are no longer speaking to one another. Rachel now lives out of her car, sometimes staying the night at friends’ apartments.

“I never really thought this would happen,” she begins. “I only have a few more weeks of class and then I am going to stay with my parents in Kentucky” until next semester “when I hope to have another apartment.”  For now, though, she feels she needs to stay in Chicago so that she can finish out the semester. She has been spending most of her time on campus, usually at the library. At night, she sleeps in her car in a parking garage, where she “feels safer,” but more often she will hunker down for the night on a side street near campus. Sometimes, she is able to stay with a friend. When I asked if she had sought out help, she explained that only her closest friends are aware of the situation and that it would be “too embarrassing” to involve anyone else. She did mention, however, that if the problem were more permanent, then she might seek help from those outside her closest circle of friends.

She let me look in her car, which is filled with all of her things. She informed me that most of her stuff, though, is at her parent’s place in Kentucky. She made “a trip down there a few weeks ago when this first happened.”

I asked how this situation has affected her studies and she admits that it has been difficult. She doesn’t know if this is just because she is sleeping in her car or because she just recently broke up with her boyfriend. “It is probably a mixture of the two,” she admits. She has not discussed her situation with any of her professors. Rachel feels she is doing well and can “make it” until the end of the semester. She tries not to compare her situation to others who might “have to live this kind of a life” on a more permanent basis, but she acknowledges that it is tough. For instance, when she sleeps in her car, not only is it uncomfortable, which is something many of us likely think about, but she has nowhere to plug in her phone, which is something I would bet is something hardly anyone thinks about. So she has to make sure it is charged before she goes to sleep because her phone also serves as her alarm clock.

When she is not at friend’s house, she usually finds herself on campus, either really earlier for class, in a hallway somewhere reading or on her phone. She showers at the gym on campus and thus has been forced to adjust her schedule to when this facility opens and closes. Sometimes she is able to “freshen up at a friend’s” place. When she is looking to settle in for the night, she will usually park her car near an IHOP, or 24-hour restaurant, so that she has access to a bathroom. Asked how she would react if her classmates found out, she said, “I would be mortified… I’m sure they would want to help, or probably wouldn’t even care, but who would ever want people knowing that they’re sleeping in a car?”

Rachel’s situation, as she pointed out, is only for a little while. She has arrangements to live with her parents in a few weeks when classes end. But her situation highlights the fact that homeless students do not want to be found. They may want help, but they do not want it if it means others have to find out about their situation. I would imagine this applies to students who are homeless for longer periods of time as well. As a future higher education practitioner, it will be important to keep this in mind. It will be important for me to let the students know that they can come to me and I will help them with any situation.

Interview With a Doctor

This week, I interviewed Dr. Martha Wynne, who is an Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Education. Dr. Wynne has a B.A. in Sociology and Religion, an M.A. in Special Education and, of course, a Ph. D. in Educational Psychology. She has extensive experience working with homeless families. This entry is based on an extensive discussion her and I had this week.

We began by discussing the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. I have touched on this Act in other entries. Essentially, this Act is meant to give homeless children more opportunities to go to school. My research has led me to believe that this Act works for the betterment of the homeless population; however, Dr. Wynne pointed out some aspects of the Act that do not go far enough. An example she provided me with detailed how students (children, not college students) who apply for aid under this act are required to attend the same school. This can be particularly difficult and extraordinarily time consuming for families that are forced to move from shelter to shelter or residence to residence. I would imagine that this would be taxing on the student, in that it will have repercussions for the rest of his or her life. The kind of stress this aspect of the Act, as well as the stresses of being homeless, might in fact determine whether or not a child wants to go to school when they come of age. These types of stresses are something other children to not have to contend with, providing evidence to the fact that many of us are privileged. To this end, Dr. Wynne described the McKinney-Vento Act as mostly “aspirational,” in that its message and direction signal well intentions, but, as previously mentioned, does not do nearly enough.

While Dr. Wynne admitted having had little experience in dealing with homeless college students, she acknowledged that there were similarities between that group and the families she worked with. For instance, transportation, time and money issues are likely to be as much a problem for college students as they are for younger children and their families. In fact, a family Dr. Wynne had worked with detailed how they had to sit with their kids on the CTA for four hours every day just to make sure they got to and from school safely. This ate up an enormous amount of time. Homeless college students, as I have come to learn more and more about, experience similar instances of time consumption. One student in particular described how he had lockers situated in various parts of the school and at his gym, requiring him to stay on a fixed schedule daily. I am a consistent person, but I know how maintaining a routine can be taxing on an individual. Also, for the most part, I can change my routine and do not have the added frustrations that come with being homeless. I found a great link to a video where a college student is describing the kinds of stresses he encounters and how these types of things can hinder the educational experience.

This is something to keep in mind as I continue my work with students. The fact that this is largely something they want to keep invisible is also a point of consideration. I suppose I could make it more apparent that I am ally and willing to help any who want it.

Civil Servants and Homeless Interactions

I recently spoke with a former police officer. As this person has several decades’ worth of experience and interactions with homeless people, I thought it might be beneficial to acquaint myself with his perspective. While this person’s experiences are certainly not typical of the interactions between police officers and homeless students, which is the demographic I am aspiring to know more about, I thought it nonetheless informative and somewhat indicative of how homeless in general are treated by civil servants. He asked for anonymity, so for the purposes of this blog post, he will be called Howard.

Howard was rather blunt with me, discussing at length what he perceived to be a dichotomy within the homeless population. He distinguished between those who had fallen on financial hardships and those with severe mental disabilities, the former typically made up of persons who actively work towards bettering their circumstances because they have fallen on hard times. I would imagine the “typical” homeless student falls under this category. However, Howard mentioned, sadly, that as a police officer, most of his interactions with the homeless were with those with mental disabilities.

When I think about a police officer interacting with a homeless person, the first images that come to mind are of a person ranting and raving, or asking for money or even loitering in front of a shop, with the owner ranting and raving for the person to leave. However, Howard added to this perception by informing me that police officers would, for instance, sometimes get a call to a homeless family living out of their car. In these cases, it was not uncommon for one or more of the officers to pitch in some money to help the couple get a room for the night or even get some food. Before my interview with Howard, I have heard of instances like this, but never carried out to the extent he was describing it as. He made it seem like this was routine. It is interesting to note that a way for police officers to congratulate one another in situations like the one discussed is by making light of the situation. “It was not uncommon for other officers to hear about a good deed one of us had done and give them a ribbing the next day,” Howard explained. “But, it wasn’t malicious at all,” he added. “It was a way of acknowledging the person did a good thing.”   

Howard left me with the impression that the people he worked with were very kind and understanding of homeless people. Coming into this interview, I had very different ideas about how police officers treated the homeless, crediting this interpretation thanks in part to the media and the environment I grew up in; also, I, like everyone, tend to fill in any lack of knowledge with misconceptions. It takes education to reverse this process, and I would like to think that is what I have done here.

As I think about my future and my career in Higher Education, it will be important for me to keep in mind the different services students can look to for help. Hearing all the good Howard and police officers like him have done for the homeless, well, I will definitely be less skeptical to recommend their services should the need arise.

What's Next? A Road to Transition

In last week’s blog entry, I briefly touched on a conversation between myself and Josh, a homeless man I met while wandering around downtown Chicago. He had described some of the hardships he has endured (and continues to endure) when just before we were about to part ways he mentioned how he had attended college once. This stirred in me a need to explore this aspect of his life, but unfortunately, he had to run. However, after accurately reading my interest in the subject, he invited me to meet with him again, sometime soon. Over the last few days, I made it a point to traffic the area where I had met Josh. After all, not only do I need to familiarize myself with homeless people for this project, but I need to connect it to higher education as well. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to bridge the two; and I was also eager to meet with him because I brought him a gift: some pencils and a pad of paper.

Sadly, Josh and I have not met since our original encounter. I’d like to see him, though; so hopefully over the next few weeks, I’ll have the pleasure again. I’ll be sure to share that story with you if it happens. However, this past week, a few interesting things did come up. To be clear, they were as interesting as they were troubling… (They’re not in any way troubling… I just wanted to hook you. And not much happened, but keep reading...)

Michigan Avenue seems to be the starting point of many of my nighttime excursions (Wow, I sound like either a criminal or a super hero. I promise I am neither). I am hoping in the near future to find some other areas of the city to explore. I would imagine I will be able to accomplish this feat after I’m through with some of the interviews I have lined up with people who have studied homelessness. But, for the purposes of our blog today, we will begin where we have begun before, and that is near Loyola University Chicago’s downtown campus on Michigan Avenue.

On this particular evening, and I don’t know why I did this exactly, but I waited for people to approach me. I know this may sound weird, but if you think about it, aren’t people always approaching you on the street? They are always trying to make a point, or sell something, or get you to go somewhere (like a club, not the back of a van), or even to ask you for money. But who has the time to listen to all that? Who has the time to deal with that? Like many, when I am walking from point A to point B, I will ignore everyone around me. Not the case three days ago. I walked around, happily waiting for conversation to spark. If someone wanted to talk to me, for whatever reason, I was game…

Nobody spoke with me. I wandered a bit, but nobody spoke to me. It was kind of sad. I would walk slower around people I thought would talk to me. I would inch closer and closer, hoping for that oh-are-you-talking-to-me moment. I may have been giving off a creepy vibe. I’m not sure. For whatever reason, people steered clear of me. Isn't that always the case thought? When you want something, you have to look for it, but when you don't want something, it comes looking for you.

People - Homeless PEOPLE

I’ve slept on floors – floors with mice and spiders the size of my fist. I’ve slept in chairs before – chairs so rigid my back cracked a worrisome amount of times as I woke and started moving around. Suffice it to say, I have had my share of horrible sleeps. And yet, I would never dream of comparing these experiences to others’ whose discomfort has been more intense and sometimes become routine. For instance, I have never been forced into sleeping on the pavement and I have certainly never had to sleep in front of spectators. I count myself lucky.

These past few weeks, I’ve taken the time to watch the people nobody wants to know about. I’ve seen beggars asking for pennies. I’ve seen old ladies crying and asking for scraps of food. I’ve seen people wrapped in makeshift sleeping bags curled up in the doorways of buildings. However, instead of simply watching or exchanging pleasantries, I actually began to have meaningful, in-depth conversations with people from this demographic. And these haven’t been the 2 – 3 minute conversations I’ve written about in weeks prior. These conversations were long and involved.

I can think of very few things more annoying than being woken up from a sleep; so, of course I didn’t bug anyone who was actually sleeping. But I was curious to speak with someone who clearly was in the habit of sleeping on the streets (blog title plug, 2 points). While I haven’t volunteered with Labre in a few weeks, I will credit the experience I gained with them as having helped to give me the push I needed in order to speak with homeless people on the level needed for the research I am conducting. A few days this past week, I found myself walking around in the heart of Chicago. I waited until the night sky had begun creeping over the city and it was clear that people were beginning to hunker down. I spoke with several homeless people, many of whom shared some interesting things with me. Among them was Josh. Of course, this isn’t his real name.

At no point did Josh seem hesitant to speak with me. In fact, after I introduced myself, he seemed eager to describe his life story; though I sensed I could have been anyone and he would have felt equally comfortable speaking with such enthusiasm on the intimacies of his life. Josh, who is an older man, wanted me to note in my blog that he had matching shoes. I’m not sure why, but nonetheless agreed. So, Josh has matching shoes. He had been employed almost ten years ago, doing odds and ends for a hardware store – a store that has since gone out of business. Before that, he told me, he had worked consistently as a lawn care professional. He admitted to doing some hard drugs “a long time ago,” but felt a need to assure me that he no longer does them. He told me how he loves to draw and paint whenever he gets a chance and that if he were in a different position in life, he would always have a pencil in one hand and pad of paper in the other. We had sat around for nearly a half hour, chatting away, before he ended our conversation abruptly, informing me he had to go visit some friends. As we were getting up, I decided to launch one more question at him. “Have you ever gone to college,” I asked him. He told me that he had gone, and sensing my interest in this part of the story, invited me to look for him in the same area around the same time next week to discuss his college days in more detail.

I have emailed a few homeless shelters in the Chicago area, but sadly all of them have refused to meet with me. I will continue to reach out, however. One of them went so far as to tell me they typically only do interviews with the media, though all of the shelters seemed reluctant to invest time in addressing the questions of a lowly student (that's me). I do not ever wish to misrepresent myself, but I would imagine that if I am ever to get any serious information out of these places, that in the future, I will leave the fact that this is a student project our of any introductions. Perhaps, since this is a blog, I will simply attribute my interest in homelessness to student journalism, which isn't a lie. Is this fine or is this that tangled wed everyone is always talking about? I will not deny any class involvement should the topic come up, but being overly open about why I am doing this has not helped me. Just my thoughts. Until next week.

Hate Crimes Against Homeless on the Rise

Eastern Europe’s recent cold snap has highlighted for the world the perils often faced by homeless people. Specifically, Kiev, Ukraine, which has seen at least a hundred homeless people dead and countless others stricken with frostbite and hypothermia over the last several weeks, has been hit particularly hard[1]. While extreme weather tends to be the reason behind sudden surges in outreach and awareness initiatives for this demographic, homeless people are inundated with severe problems on a daily basis, not just during cold snaps or heat waves. Some of these problems we know too well – finding food, shelter or even a place to use the bathroom, for instance; however, many of us remain oblivious to the hardships transients often face, such as supporting loved ones, competing for a foothold in many areas of life as well as living in constant fear of being beaten or killed.

I wrote a few weeks ago on the need for more risk taking in my search to better understand the homeless population – specifically, to better understand homeless college students. However, I have hit a crossroads. As you might imagine, I have considered actually living on the streets for an undetermined amount of time. Some passing ideas have me asking for change, staying the night in one of Chicago’s many shelters or even rummaging through the trash for something to sell or barter. Granted, I acknowledge these experiences will not provide me with an accurate perspective given I know I always have instant access to food and shelter; however, I feel these ideas are nonetheless worth exploring as this lifestyle is germane to the population I am attempting to familiarize myself with.

However, knowing that Chicago’s shelters routinely fill up has forced me to draw a line through this idea. I would not feel right using a space and eating food that otherwise could, and likely would, be used for the needy. Also, I have decided to cross rummaging-through-the-trash off my list. I don’t like the idea of pricking myself with needles, cutting myself on sharp objects or reenacting the opening of every episode of Law & Order by finding a dead body; but I am curious to know what kinds of things homeless people might look for in the trash and on the street. In any case, after all is said and done, I am still open to the idea of actually living outside. As I calculate the details of this prospect, safety concerns have naturally come to the forefront of my thoughts.

Many homeless people live in a state of constant fear as they are often the target of hate crimes[2]. Itzcoatl Ocampo was indicted earlier this year for killing four homeless men as well as a mother and her son[3]. In 2008, John Robert McGraham, a homeless man, was doused with gasoline and set on fire[4]. Beatings and killings in cities across the nation not only persist, but are growing in both numbers and audacity. Sometimes these acts are done in broad daylight and in front of uncaring passersby. The recent economic turbulence has not only pushed many into homelessness but has forced cities to cut funding to shelters and outreach programs. This situation has forced more homeless men, women, children and families (yes, families) out into the open. As a result, surveys indicate “much higher rates of assault, rape and other crimes of violence against the homeless” when compared to most other groups[5]. While it is common knowledge youths are often responsible for perpetrating these hate crimes, I am forced to wonder why they do it. I would argue easy access, sheer boredom, and perhaps the most important ingredient, dehumanization are all contributing factors. If you think homeless people aren’t being dehumanized, then I would ask you to search “bum hunter” or “homeless beating” on YouTube and watch the first few results.

So, as you can imagine, there are a lot of things for me to consider. Do I want to put myself in a position where I am left exposed and vulnerable? In these kinds of situations, how does one balance safety and academic curiosity? As of right now, I am unsure. However, my plans for the immediate future include visiting a shelter, volunteering with Labre ministry again, continuing my search for a homeless student to interview, and of course, contemplating whether or not I want to experience what it is like to live on the street while going to school full time. I would welcome any thoughts or suggestions.

I will end this entry by providing you with a link to an ABC special where actors simulated a homeless beating to see how the public responded. It is very interesting. Click here to watch.

Homeless in Chicago: Still Not in the Know

This past week, even with all the hustle and bustle of work and school, I made it a point to pause at times and look around. Though what I saw didn’t surprise me, it surely amazed me nonetheless. I noticed passersby not only avoiding beggars on the street, but acting as if this underprivileged population didn’t even exist. “Acting” might be giving these players in society more credit than they deserve. A more realistic interpretation would suggest that the privileged have been conditioned by society to Photoshop the needy out at every encounter. I am no exception. I’ve been editing my line of vision for a long time. However, this past week, I actively curbed this process at times. Below are two photographs of this phenomenon, both taken outside Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus.

You might think securing help from the plethora of civic-minded, volunteer-oriented millennials walking around this area would be easy; however, you would be wrong. After all, there’s no reward in reaching out to the homeless on your own. College students need that gold star – they need affirmation. I people-watched these two homeless people for over an hour (Is that weird? It’s for journalism... It’s kind of weird, right?) and nobody stopped to help them. Nobody stopped to talk to them. Nobody even acknowledged their presence. The man in the picture above was clearly on a mission and it was hard for me to even keep up with him at times; however, as I sat and watched the man in the photo below, I spent some time thinking how things would be were I in his shoes. I honestly couldn’t get a feel for it. I eventually got up from the stoop I had perched myself on and made my way to a nearby McDonalds. I returned a short while later and offered him some food. He accepted. Further conversation was rebutted, however; but I didn’t mind.

This past Thursday, I once again found myself walking along Michigan Avenue with the guys from Labre Ministry. As you may recall, the Labre Ministry is a student-led organization through Loyola University Chicago. Their purpose is not so much to feed the homeless (though they do), as it is to converse with them – to hear their stories. Most conversations don’t last more than a few minutes; however, one homeless man, who we’ll call Anthony, was in a very talkative mood that night, discussing at length his state of homelessness. He even touched on a drug problem he used to have. I’m sure if Jennifer had come along with us, this exchange would have only reinforced her preconceived beliefs about homeless people. As we started walking back towards Loyola, I asked Jason, one of the group leaders, if he had ever come across any homeless children before. He answered, “Only once. A father was with his two sons. We gave them some hygiene products and some food, but we never saw them again. That was the only time.” This sort of surprised me. I would have thought, given there are roughly 10,000 unaccompanied youth in Chicago, needy kids would be all over the place. I’m kind of inclined to believe there are some spots in Chicago where Lord of the Flies is the norm.

According to “Services to Homeless Students and Families: The McKinney-Vento Act and Its Implications for School Social Work Practice”, an article written by Debra M. Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simheni and Nathaniel Israel and published in Children & Schools in 2006, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is an outreach initiative meant to curb homelessness among the nation’s children by providing them with the means to acquire an education. Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simheni and Israel contend that children are the focus of this piece of legislation because this demographic is most likely to be turned away from shelters as well as distance themselves from programs already put in place for the homeless. Also, in recognizing this as such a crucial age of development in a person’s life, the framers behind the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act felt protecting this subculture of the homeless was society’s responsibility (p. 38). You can read an abridged version of The McKinney-Vento Act by clicking here.

While I'm still taking the steps needed in order to get to know this culture, I feel I have not made much headway. I have read about homelessness and I have gone on a few outings to give homeless people food and hear their stories, but I am still left wondering what it truly means to be a person from this culture. Over the next couple of days, some serious thinking is in order. I also feel some serious risk-taking will be needed if I am to succeed in getting to know this population as well as I would like. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below.

Some articles I found interesting:

“Homeless College Students On The Rise, Advocates Say” is an interesting article. I wonder if Loyola University Chicago or Middle Tennessee State University (my undergrad) has a food closet.

“Supporting Panhandling is the Least You Can Do,” is an article whose author advocates for donating money to agencies, not in the cups of homeless men and women.

AVCRUTJ3S6ND

Exploring the Streets

I’ve decided to invest a large portion of my time this semester in getting to know another culture. For those of you who read my last entry, you know this is part of a class assignment; however, for those of you who know me, you know this is something I would enjoy doing regardless.

This past week, I set out on a mission. I informed all of you that, among other things, I would learn the personal story of a homeless person and report my findings here. I was eager to start. In fact, I was so eager that I failed to see something very important. On Tuesday, around ten at night, as I started walking around hoping to stumble across a homeless person who would share the intimacies of their life with me, I was suddenly struck with the realization that what I was trying to do was at best inconsiderate. Getting someone to open up about a down-on-their-luck experience for the sake of an assignment didn’t sit too well with me. I decided to amend my goal. Instead of getting to know a homeless person, I would give a homeless person the opportunity to get to know me.

As I ventured out into downtown Chicago, a few questions started racing through my head: How should I approach a homeless person? What would we talk about? And what if by chance I acquired some nefarious information scribbled on a Playboy and I suddenly found myself being chased around the city by chop-shop gang? All of these questions required some serious thought, except the last one. I’ve seen Adventures in Babysitting. I know exactly how to handle myself in downtown Chicago… After some serious thought, I concluded it best to confront him or her with the same line I use to pick up the ladies, “Hey, how are you doing tonight?” Pretty smooth, right? But the second question was trickier to address. What would we talk about?

It wasn’t long before I spotted a homeless person. At the corner of State and Randolph, sitting against a building, was an elderly man wrapped in a blanket. The blanket nearly camouflaged him into the wall. I moseyed over to his side of the street and slowly approached him. I began with that smooth opener we discussed a minute ago.

            "How are you doing tonight?"

             He grumbled.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"I’m gonna wanna keep my shoes!" he shouted at me.

            "Oh…" was all I managed to say before walking away.

I wouldn’t exactly call it a victory. I’m sure had we been in a movie some passersby would have witnessed this interaction and looked at me strangely. However, thankfully nobody was around. My next two attempts at sparking a conversation with a homeless person were met with equal success but are hardly worth mentioning.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act defines a homeless person as an “individual… who lack[s] a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” Based on information from its website, The National Coalition for the Homeless estimates there are roughly 650,000 homeless people in the United States on any given night. The website goes on to state that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires “point-in-time counts, which are conducted, community by community, on a single night in January every other year.” However, point-in-time counts are just that, based solely on a specific point in time. When you look at the figures for people who experience homelessness throughout the year, the numbers increase significantly to between 1.3 and 3.5 million. It’s important to remember that accurate figures are difficult to maintain because we’re dealing with a transient group of people. It’s also worth noting that the amount of people in the United States who experience homelessness is increasing daily due to the recent economic crisis: one, because people are in need now more than ever; and two, because welfare programs are usually the first to get the axe when state legislators are looking to save a little cash.

The bar graph below, taken from endhomelessness.org, gives you an idea of the different kinds of subpopulations there are within the homeless demographic. For instance, as you can see, the amount of homeless families is startling. However, while many homeless children in Chicago have family to rely on, nearly 10,000 (ages 14 to 21) do not, according to Chicagohomeless.org. These kids are described as “unaccompanied youth.” And it’s important to keep in mind that 10,000 is just an estimate for the unaccompanied youth in Chicago, not the nation.

Following three failed attempts at conversing with homeless people, I retired for the night. I remained determined, however, continuing to research opportunities online. I eventually came across The Labre Ministry. The Labre Ministry is a student-led homeless outreach program with Loyola University Chicago. According to its website, “Students attempt to form relationships with the homeless of downtown Chicago, providing both food and friendship. Labre's main focus is solidarity, rather than charity, focusing more on the relationships created than on the act of providing food itself.” Every Thursday night, volunteers divide into two groups, tackling two different routes along Chicago’s street.

This past Thursday, I joined them. As I had already tried my luck on my own, and failed, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to go with a group this time. To respect the privacy of those involved, names have been changed. I arrived a little early that night. As such, I was asked to help two other volunteers pack the food into coolers. Ashley, a graduate student and apparent veteran with Labre Ministry instructed Jennifer, a fellow newbie, and me on what exactly we should expect. As we prepared for the night’s events, we talked and got to know each other as well. One exchange in particular stands out in my head:

            We had been discussing food donations when Ashley commented, "I hope they like the chicken pasta tonight."

            Somewhat surprised, Jennifer asked, "Who, the homeless people?"

            "Yeah, sometimes they don’t like it… and don’t wanna take it."

            "Are they really THAT picky?”"

            Ashley and I shared a look before she answered Jennifer’s question, “Well yeah, they’re people, aren’t they?"

You could definitely tell which volunteers where in it to satisfy some job requirement or credit for a course; after all, volunteering for recognition is the true mark of a millennial. However, others were genuinely there to help the needy. I know, I know, there’s no need to remind me where I stand on this spectrum. However, my suspicion Jennifer was fulfilling a class objective proved to be correct.

Many of you know Michigan Avenue as home to Millennium Park, the Chicago Water Tower, the Art Institute of Chicago (that museum Ferris Beuller and his friends visited… who?), as well as a myriad of other notable landmarks. However, this street is also a stopping point for many of Chicago’s transients as well as one of the paths Labre walks every Thursday evening. On this particular Thursday night, the temperature was in the mid-thirties, which was “not bad,” as described by some of the people we met.

Our group spoke with five homeless men. The first two were very thankful for the food. The third, James, was no exception; however, what really stuck out about James was his compassion for others. He declined a second serving of food, explaining that a few of his friends up the street would need some as well. In fact, having just expressed a desire to shave, James even had reservations about taking a razor blade from us, claiming that it was simply too much. We assured him that he could have it. To be honest, had I been in his shoes, I would have been milking these volunteers for every last drop. That’s how I’m wired. But all of the homeless people we encountered that night expressed reservations about taking seconds of food, explaining to us that there were others out there who needed it more. This is definitely an interesting quality, one worth exploring as I continue my interactions with this population in the coming weeks and months.

After our trip was done, the two Labre groups met on Loyola’s campus. We shared out thoughts before concluding with a prayer and then we all headed home.

I know I promised to discuss bumvertising this week; however, once I started reading the literature, it kind of irritated me to see how homeless people were being exploited. The following link will take you to a Daily Show clip that pretty much sums up the stupidity of people who take advantage of this needy population. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUjJtpBa6w0

For next week, I plan to do the following:

• discuss the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
• attend another Labre Ministry meeting
• and I would also like an opportunity to speak with a homeless college student. If any of you know someone who would be willing to share their thoughts, please let me know.

Class Assignment Turned Class Assessment

From now (January, 2012) until the end of this semester (May, 2012), I've been instructed by the professor of my Student Development class to be a voice for another culture. What this means is that instead of speaking for white, male, able-bodied, heterosexual, mid-twenty, semi-middle class, shoe size ten, agnostic, Americans, I'll be taking every opportunity to speak for a specific and different culture in class and on this blog at least once a week.

If your eyebrows are raised, then you're not alone. Addressing the particulars of this assignment easily took up all of the Q & A time allotted in our first class. It was clear by the discussion that a lot of students were alarmed, even panicky, about having to wander out of their comfort zone and discuss the intimate details of another's culture with, get this, an actual person from that culture. But I feel The Voice Project (that's this project) encourages intimacy as a way to combat the sort of discomfort that gives rise to not only miscommunication, but discrimination as well. (pause for applause). According to the handout that was given to me, Dr. Carney Strange agrees with me (okay, okay, I agree with him since he came up with The Voice Project).

The handout goes on to detail a few key aspects of the project: first, I must position myself in the other culture’s “sphere… of influence.” Second, I have to listen to the personal stories of people from this culture. Finally, and the end goal of the project, I should be able to understand this other culture so well that my world philosophy will change to better reflect not only their desires, but their needs as well.

My name is David Norris. I am a graduate student in Loyola University Chicago's Higher Education program. Every week, I plan to post a blog discussing the steps I've taken to get to know the homeless population here in Chicago. While the homelessness epidemic is a genuine concern of mine, it should be known that this blog is for a grade - in fact, it's for a whopping 30% of my grade; so I acknowledge my motives may appear suspect. My reply to this... Shut up. I can have more than one motive. And you will still get some useful information. Win, win... win.

I'm looking forward to getting started. My knowledge is very limited on Chicago's homeless population as well as on homelessness in general. Sadly, my general familiarity with this disadvantaged demographic has come from Saved by the Bell episodes - not Saved by the Bell: The New Class or Saved by the Bell: The College Years or even Good Morning, Miss Bliss (remember that one?)... These three never taught me anything. I'm talking about classic Saved by the Bell. I did, however, volunteer overseas with an organization that helps homeless children get off the street; but this was a secondary project and I didn't do it for long. I never really connected with any of those children. I never learned their stories. I hope to change things this time around.

For next week's blog, I plan to have accomplished the following:

• detailed some statistics on the homeless demographic
• discussed the controversy surrounding bumvertising
• learned the story of at least one homeless person
• and probably learned something else that I’ll share