Playing the Game, or Not?

When the family of a homeless person does not want to acknowledge their status as homeless, I am made aware of the difference in the way people view this condition.  There is a huge social stigma which needs to be broken down, here.  When a person becomes homeless, it is not that they are to blame whether it is from lack of rent money, inability to get along with spouse or roommate or complicated matters with predatory lenders who suddenly say, “Your home is ours”.  It may seem at first light that you have done something wrong, being without a structure to call home.  Yet we all struggle with the system which somehow gives you a score on your ability to manage finances.  This has essentially nothing to do with who you are, personally, only how you are at jumping through those financial hoops.  There are those among us who have jumped through these for years without success.  As the late Bernie Ward states, “the Capitalistic system has lied to us!”

  

What we were trying to say with the Occupy movement was that these huge systems are not within our control and they do not have our interests at heart.  It’s like playing a game of hide ‘n seek with friends.  If one person stops, stands in the middle of the room saying, “I don’t want to play anymore’, the game ends, kids hide behind chairs and in closets but it’s not the same game anymore. 

  

You see, in case you do not recall from high school history, it was Benjamin Franklin who made up this financial system.  Years ago, after the Vietnam war, there were stories of the Penac Agreement.  A lot of leaders of large countries and corporations got together and decided which direction the system should go.  We all saw the pictures of the newsreel of the big Cadillacs and Mercedes driving up to the big hotel entrance with flashbulbs going off.  It was like from Hollywood Academy awards.  The big financial system decided that a certain amount of unemployment was inevitable, and that a certain amount of families should have children and some could go to war or whatever.  We were never privy to their discussions, nor to their negotiations or planned outcomes. These up-e ups decided that at some point we are going to have a certain number of homeless.

Now at the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County, they allocate a certain amount of funding to build a certain amount of structures for people to live in, and with gentrification the city and county want to build big beautiful structures for rich people to live in.  It gives them a bigger profit margin.  The more mundane structures like condos and apartments are not as lucrative.  They tear those down; same idea as “Reunify Downtown”.  The board and council know full-well they are not providing all the shelter we will need.  They are not concerned with you when you get sick, lose your job and cannot pay rent anymore. 

  

If England voted to opt out of the EU, just because there was unrest in the country, someone was up there making that decision, like it would settle the unrest.  D. Trump was put in the running to make Hilary look good.  Do we want to play in this game?  Some are deciding they don’t.  It feels too much like manipulation.  Some continue to play like it's real.  In the long run, we all know to be a homeless person does not mean you do not matter, it means we are all cogs in a big wheel.  Those who are shelterless hold up the cogs for those of us on Social Security or other social programs, and on up the rung, an honorable courageous position.  So without the homeless, the council and board have nothing to stand on.  Who are really in control now!  

Anita Lafollette

HOMELESS/ERITERIAN: CONTEMPLATING A FUNERAL, Monday, 4th of July

HOMELESS/ERITERIAN:  CONTEMPLATING A FUNERAL

Yesterday, I went to the funeral for Cirak Tesfazgi, a 32 year old homeless man who was murdered last week in Santa Rosa.  I didn't know him but many of my homeless friends did.  He was asleep out doors near downtown Santa Rosa when he was apparently murdered by someone he didn’t know.

I'm a homeless activist and I thought it might comfort his family to know that the homeless community and its allies cared about him and were outraged that he, like so many others in this wealthy county, was sleeping without the protection of a locked door.

Thirty minutes before I left the house, I got a text that the family didn't want the word "homeless" used.  It hit me hard. I felt a righteous political anger on behalf of other homeless people.  I thought, “It's shameful to have homeless people in our community but it's not shameful to BE homeless.”

I took a deep breath and realized that some of my anger came from the Nebraska funerals of my young adulthood, which were religious and filled with platitudes.  I thought of my friend Carol who once counseled me,  "Try to look and feel your best, but even if you don't, go..."  I calmed myself down and went to the funeral.

Cirak was Eriterian. I knew he was black because the newspaper printed a picture, but I hadn’t taken in the reality of his background.  When I drove into the parking lot, I  wasn't prepared to find a large community of black people in suits and long dresses with large white hand-woven muslin scarves.  The service was conducted by the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Santa Rosa.  As I listened to the chanting and praying in words I couldn't understand, my thoughts gradually cleared.

Many of the women sat together.  Sometimes there was audible crying from that part of the room.  As I stood, with the chanting flowing around me, tears came to my eyes.  I thought about Cirak and other homeless people who have died this year in our county.  I thought about my friends who have died and felt how much I loved them.

The handout at the funeral said an auto accident had “greatly affected [Cirak’s] well-being and presented challenges in his life.”  Perhaps that was when he began sleeping on sidewalks.

Cirak's brother spoke in English and I've never heard anyone at a funeral, or any public event for that matter, be so truthful in both words and manner.

He said: I was the trouble-maker and Cirak was the one who did everything well.  I accept that and it's okay with me.  Every time I saw him, he would tell me that I'm doing the wrong thing and should do something different.  That was just how it was.

That was our relationship and it was a good one….

He said:  Cirak was always planning and his plans were good plans.  Lately, his plans were ridiculous because that’s how he was now, but they still would have worked, because his plans always worked. . .  and I have to say, because I am his brother, that there is nothing wrong in how he lived. . .

Near the end, one of the women laid her body across his coffin. After awhile, people began to encourage her to return to the seats.  She resisted.  More people came to comfort her and to tell her she had to return to her seat.  She resisted them.  She began shouting loudly and wailing.  She seemed to be saying, "My baby!  My baby!"  More people rushed to the front where she was.

Eventually, they took the coffin away.  This woman’s extreme grief meant, to me, that people knew Cirak should never have been homeless and that his murder was deeply wrong.  Between that and his brother's talk, I felt that whatever I had wanted to say, had been said.  It wasn’t in the way I would have said it and, perhaps the parts I didn’t understand would have caused me pain.  Who knows?  The customs were not my customs but it seemed they were, at least to some extent, another way to express the feelings I was feeling.

I’m glad I had the good sense and the anti-racist training to not rush forward with my righteous anger on behalf of homeless people.  I managed to notice that this community was one that I did not know.  I saw that they had come out in their best clothes for the funeral of a homeless member of their community.  We grieved together and that, in the end, seemed like a good way to honor Cirak.

----------------------

Some of Cirak’s poetry:

https://poemsbycirak.wordpress.com/

See you in the morning.

Adrienne

Polling Opinion, Santa Rosa City Council Meeting, June 28th

Dear City Council Members,

Thanks for setting up the polling for Measure P and Measure O.

There's some encouraging results.  In particular,

1) the sense that people are more favorable to city government

& feel positive about city services.

2) that information that the Measure P extension only requires

a majority vote and a large majority agreed with the 1/2 cent

alternative as well as the 1/4 cent.

I am concerned that the questions related to a possible

$30 million dollar housing bond were not polled thoroughly

enough for an accurate assessment.

There seems to be a great deal of support for housing

and action on homelessness.  The low numbers of support

in the one direct question about a potential housing bond

seem out of proportion with these other findings.

Here's the details:

Housing & Homelessness are seen as the biggest City

problems (p. 6).  Housing  polled as a higher concern

than gangs and youth violence (p. 8).

Instead of asking about bonds to build more housing, the

question (p. 26) is about "projects and programs, helping

to increase the supply of housing options...."

No questions were asked about insuring there is sufficient

housing stock.

A question about providing "services" to make housing

more affordable drew 70% favorable response (p.12).

Providing "services" to reduce homelessness drew a 60%

favorable response (p.13).

I hope you will do more detailed polling on this particular

question.

Thanks, as always,

Adrienne

Homeless Action! member

795-2890

Public Bathrooms in Santa Rosa

Greetings!

At this week's meeting of Homeless Action!, there was a discussion of the accessibility of Santa Rosa's public bathrooms.  It was agreed that a public Google Map showing their locations, with YELP-like reviews recording availability might be useful in evaluating their compliance with public regulations.

Here is the Google Map.  To submit your evaluation, send an email to SR Public Bathrooms.

MailChimp Signup Form Post - Test

Greetings!

We are testing out a process to recruit more supporters of Homeless Talk.  If you are already signed up (How could you know?), you don't need to respond.  If, however, you want to help us, and are interested in learning more about Homeless Talk, please sign up by clicking on the link below.

Thanks.

Gregory


Homeless Talk

Homeless Talk, Frequently Asked Questions, June 10th

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1)  What is Homeless Talk?  What has been done?

Homeless Talk is a series of twenty-five or more facilitated open-ended small and large group discussions in community centers, clubs, congregations, farmers markets, and private homes.  It has begun tabling to ‘test drive’ the process and will begin formal discussions this fall.

We formed a Steering Committee to begin the background work.  That group has created a brochure and poster and generated an opening list of questions about homeless issues.  They are currently piloting this project via one to one conversations at various local events and venues.  They also continue to meet with individuals and groups to explain what Homeless Talk is planning and to ask for their help.

2) Who is spearheading this?

The volunteers on our steering committee are Gregory Fearon & Pat Kuta from Santa Rosa Together, Adrienne Lauby and Cynthia Stebbins from Homeless Action!, Cecile Querubin,Organization Development Consultant, Betsy Hall, member of West End Neighborhood, and Hrieth Anet Pezzi, R.N. and community educator and group process consultant.  Cynthia also brings her experience as a homeless woman to the group.

3)  Are there formal partnerships and if so, with whom?  Who are the people connected with these partnerships?

Our strongest coalition members are from Santa Rosa Together and Homeless Action! (see above for individual names)   We have asked the City of Santa Rosa to become a formal partner and hope to grow the coalition further over the summer.  We also have the support of Santa Rosa City Council members Combs and Schwedhelm.

4) Remind me how this information will be used?

A)  If you are responding to our questions about homelessness:

We will collate responses to these questions as well as other information from formal and informal meetings.  When we finish this round of meetings & discussions, we will prepare a report that will be released to the public.  Your name will not be used unless you give us specific permission.  We expect the Santa Rosa City Council, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, Social Service Agencies, Business Owners, Neighborhood Groups and Individuals to find the information useful when issues of homelessness arise.

B)  If you are responding to questions about venue and cooperating organizations:  We will put whatever information you give us into an excel file that will allow us to follow up as needed in order to hold a specific Homeless Talk Conversation.

5)  What would ‘I’ be doing?  What are you asking of me?  

There are many ways you can support this project, by attending a Homeless Talk Conversation, engaging publicity, grant writing, food or drink donations or a tax deductible contribution. One of the most useful things you can do is to become a host for a specific Homeless Talk Conversation.   This job includes interfacing with the people who own the building where it will be held (if it is someone other than yourself), planning the date, inviting people, setting up the room before hand and cleaning up afterward.  Snack food is optional. Your group may provide food, or it may come from the Steering Committee.  Homeless Talk will provide a facilitator and format for the meeting, and pay any agreed-upon fees.  We will bring handouts and other materials, provide note taking, and help with set up and cleanup.  In addition, you will have a steering committee member who will work closely with you as you set up the event.

6)  Who will do the publicity to get people to the meeting I am hosting?

This is a collaborative task.

Homeless Talk will publicize every meeting in the newspapers and other standard outlets, as well as on our facebook page and to our e-mail list.  We will be publicizing the effort as a whole, while telling people which meetings are happening in the near future.  We may provide targeted publicity in your neighborhood or to specific groups of people.  We will put posters and other signage on the building the day of the event.

We hope you will invite neighbors, friends and family, as well as using the mailing lists of any organization that is involved.

7)  Is there money to cover the cost of any mailing I might do, or brochures?

There will be some money but we are still raising it.   And, by the way, in-kind and monetary donations are tax deductible.  When the time comes, talk with your steering committee representative about the specific amount you need and we will attempt to get it to you.

8)   Have there been group meetings about this?   If so, who are in those groups?

Since the Fall of 2015 the Homeless Talk Steering Committee held 5 open planning meetings this Spring which included a wide variety of people.  A partial list:  Anita LaFollette, Beth Dadko, Chuck Cornell, Chris Coursey, Georgia Berland, Ernesto Oliveras, Enrique Yarce Martinez, Hank Topper, Jim Leddy, Jennielynn Holmes, Jim Sweeney, Lawrence Lehr, Michael Gauss, Sheila Baker, Tim Carnahan, Tanya Narath, Jackie Brittain, Rene Riggs, Thomas Ells, Tom Schwedhelm…   Organizations and groups included the Junior College Student Government, several churches, the Santa Rosa School District, Sonoma County, Burbank Housing, City of Santa Rosa, homeless individuals, Homeless Action! and Santa Rosa Together.

9)  Are the city or county involved and if so how?

Staff members from Sonoma County attended our early meetings and helped us plan our initial strategy.  Both staff and Council Members from the City of Santa Rosa have also attended meetings and offered their encouragement.  We do not have a formal relationship with either governmental group at this time.

10)  Who will facilitate the conversations?

We are training a cadre of volunteer facilitators.  Many of them will come from Sonoma State University’s Organization Development Masters Program, where they have become skilled facilitators.  We hope to have two facilitators at each meeting as well as a note taker.  Please tell us if you would like to facilitate or know someone who could fill that role.

11) How will information be collected?

We are still working on this.  At the least, there will be note taking at each meeting.  In addition, we will have a brief survey at each meeting which will also be on-line.  We are looking into more intensive methods of collecting information.

12)  How many people will be at each conversation?

There is no requirement or minimum for a conversation.  We are hoping that each one will draw between 10 and 30 people but that will depend on you as the host, the sponsoring organization (if there is one), and the Homeless Talk publicity.

13) How long will a meeting be?

The formal meeting will last 90 minutes (1½ hour).  Please plan for 10-15 min. in the beginning to get people settled and try to keep the room available for 30-45 min. afterward for extended discussions and clean up.

14)   Will I have to speak and if so what will I be asked to say?

You do not have to speak if you don’t want to.  However, we would be honored if you would welcome those who come, provide any information about the building (location of bathrooms etc, and thank anyone who has helped you.   At the least, we would like to acknowledge you and your work during the meeting.

15) Is there a bias in these conversations?  If so, what is it?

Our bias is the radical belief that people can figure out their problems themselves, even large problems like homelessness.  We believe that bringing people in Santa Rosa together in groups with some help from a facilitator will provide the next set of solutions for the issues of homelessness.  We will talk about the issues that individuals bring into the room with them.  The facilitators will be trained to encourage everyone to talk and to exhibit no judgments.

We were inspired by speakers from “Everyday Democracy” last winter.

https://www.everyday-democracy.org/

Find the Everyday Democracy Santa Rosa talk here:

http://santa-rosa.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=68d25a49-7912-11e5-b3ab-00219ba2f017

16)  What do I do next?

A)  Please take a look at your calendar.  Do you have some time between now and November when you could organize a conversation? (If so, see #5 above for what that entails.)

B)  Contact your prospective organization or building and find out whether they would help you by providing the room and any publicity.

C)  Find a couple of evening or weekend dates that work for everyone,

D)  Contact your steering committee representative to confirm a date and begin working on the details.

17)  Who do I contact if I have any questions?

Are you a committed host?  If so, someone from the steering committee will contact you within the next week to give you his/her e-mail address and phone number.  That person will begin working with you directly.

To volunteer to host or for any other questions, email HomelessTalk@gmail.com or leave a message at 707-583-1509.

Sunday Memorial For Tut in Guerneville

I'm sad to report that we lost one of our best homeless citizens - Tut.  He was homeless due to a fire that took his house/biz/vehicle ... He had some medical issues ... Spending the one night (a week ago Thursday) outside in the elements impacted his already compromised health ...

He went to the hospital Friday, April 1 where he died.  He is missed.

RIP Tut.  

This Sunday at noon Tut's life will be memorialized at the Regional Park in Guerneville ... It's the park on the other side of  the Walking Bridge - across River from Johnson's Beach.

Please feel free to pass the word along to anyone  you believe may be interested.


From: Wendy Bignall