‘We’re Building A Movement’
Demonstration protesting the closing
of Franklin School Shelter in Washington,
D.C. Homeless men were left without
shelter, but the movement to end
homelessness is growing.
PHOTO /PORTIA WILSON
By Eric Jonathan Sheptock “The Blogger”
Homeless advocacy in D.C. has been limited in its effectiveness due to people’s tendency to react to specific situations as opposed to creating a sustained movement. Many rise to the occasion to solve a problem when there is a sense of urgency. Few remain involved to change the system that created the problem, thus solving it for once and for all.
Such was the case with the threat from former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams to close the Franklin School Shelter in 2006. Scores of people came out to support the homeless men who would be left without shelter or housing. However, once the threat was gone, so were the activists who stood with us. As it turns out, Franklin School Shelter was closed by the present mayor, Adrian Fenty. There is a lesson in this: the problem is with the system, not the individual politician. Therefore, while appreciating small victories, we must not stop there, but must vie for a completely new system.
It has been extremely difficult keeping morale up and keeping the homeless fighting for their rights and for solutions to homelessness. They are an extremely disenfranchised lot of people, and not without good reason considering the treatment they often receive from the public and from government in particular. But the good news is that I see a sustained fight beginning to take place.
There are new homeless advocacy groups arising within our nation’s capital. Given our economy,we are all “just a paycheck away” from being homeless. While my time is consumed in going to many meetings, I remind myself constantly that it’s all part of building a movement.
In July 2008, a new group of homeless people pulled together and reused the name of the Committee to Save Franklin Shelter (CSFS). Though Franklin has been closed, the committee has broadened its goal to addressing mistreatment of all DC’s homeless.
However, there are many other groups and individuals with similar goals. Pro bono lawyers have joined forces with CSFS. The Homeless Emergency Response Workgroup addresses the injustices involved in D.C. government shutting down shelters. A nameless group of homeless advocates is developing an employment program to help the homeless find jobs. My church (the Church of the Epiphany) created a Justice Ministry Team to plan to bring the homeless justice and possibly end homelessness.
Then there are the agencies that have been around for five years or more. Empower D.C., the Fair Budget Coalition, the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. The list goes on. I’d be remiss to not mention all of the concerned citizens who don’t belong to a named group or agency. Many people have googled “homelessness in DC”, found my blog, http://www.ericsheptock.com and interviewed me about homelessness in our nation’s capital. This has enabled me to give the Mayor bad publicity.
I recently received what might be the final word on yet another shelter closure. The CCNV shelter has been in a contract dispute with the City and the contract might not be renewed. If true, D.C. Mayor Fenty will have the fight of his life on his hands. Those people who need an urgent situation to react to in order to get involved may soon have what they need.
Washington, D.C. has a rich history of the homeless fighting the powers that be. Only a few of the fighters from that era are still with us. Nonetheless, I see many components coming together to rebuild the movement. Hopefully this time around we’ll effect complete systemic change. La lucha continua.
Successful Book Tour In Washington
New Book:
“Teatro Chicana”
Speakers for a New America is proud to have hosted a speaking tour in Washington promoting the new book, “Teatro Chicana, A Collective Memoir and Selected Plays,” edited by Laura E. Garcia, Sandra M. Gutierrez, and Felicitas Nuñez. The book has stories from seventeen young women who performed Chicana theater during the 1970s. It is the story of the movement at that time and of each woman’s entry into the struggle for women’s equality and a better world.
Below are comments from speakers about the tour:
“The Washington tour was a total success. We talked to about 700 for the most part young people which was very rewarding since the book was written for them,” said Laura E. Garcia. Felicitas Nuñez said, “Our audience went from the youthful multinational queer in the Universities to the imprisoned male youth, and everything in between — from a straight community with children to an older mature community student audience. Our student youth of Mexican background was predominant.”
“ For me smaller places like Shelton, Washington, were key because of their connection to the immigrant population. This may open doors for us to reach immigrant rights fighters,” said Laura Garcia.
Felicitas Nuñez, commenting on the overall goals of the tour, said, “As a collective, we encourage education. I feel that education can be a tool to better life and to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of our humanistic nature. Women as well as our Earth have the ability to give life and deserve the respect and protection of society as a whole. All humans have the ability to become the caretakers of what is above, on, and below our Earth. Education should be a right as well as the responsibility of every individual.”
To bring the speaking tour to your city, contact Speakers for a New America at 800-691-6888 or email info@speakersforanewamerica.com. Visit us on the web at speakersforanewamerica.com.
Speakers for a New America is proud to have hosted a speaking tour in Washington promoting the new book, “Teatro Chicana, A Collective Memoir and Selected Plays,” edited by Laura E. Garcia, Sandra M. Gutierrez, and Felicitas Nuñez. The book has stories from seventeen young women who performed Chicana theater during the 1970s. It is the story of the movement at that time and of each woman’s entry into the struggle for women’s equality and a better world.
Below are comments from speakers about the tour:
“The Washington tour was a total success. We talked to about 700 for the most part young people which was very rewarding since the book was written for them,” said Laura E. Garcia. Felicitas Nuñez said, “Our audience went from the youthful multinational queer in the Universities to the imprisoned male youth, and everything in between — from a straight community with children to an older mature community student audience. Our student youth of Mexican background was predominant.”
“ For me smaller places like Shelton, Washington, were key because of their connection to the immigrant population. This may open doors for us to reach immigrant rights fighters,” said Laura Garcia.
Felicitas Nuñez, commenting on the overall goals of the tour, said, “As a collective, we encourage education. I feel that education can be a tool to better life and to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of our humanistic nature. Women as well as our Earth have the ability to give life and deserve the respect and protection of society as a whole. All humans have the ability to become the caretakers of what is above, on, and below our Earth. Education should be a right as well as the responsibility of every individual.”
To bring the speaking tour to your city, contact Speakers for a New America at 800-691-6888 or email info@speakersforanewamerica.com. Visit us on the web at speakersforanewamerica.com.
This article originated in the
People's
Tribune
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PO Box 3524, Chicago, IL 60654, 773-486-3551, info@peoplestribune.org.
Feel free to reproduce unless marked as copyrighted.
Please include this message with reproductions of the article.
